MATHURA ELECTION SCENE...LOK SABHA POLLS

HEMA USES GLAMOUROUS HISTRIONICS,  JAYANTA BATS FOR  CHARAN SINGH'S LEGACY

 

 

Mathura April 14 (IANS)

 

One of the most prestigious Lok Sabha seats in this election,  Mathura, the land of Sri Krishn-Radha has today become totally Hema-centric, with conversation at every tea stall or paan-wala shop, clubs or kitty parties veering round the 'dream girl' and her daughter Esha.

 

"Oh even at this age she is so glamourous. Its the daily Yoga and dances that keep her so fit," commented an IT student Vishakha Tripathi.

 

When Hema Malini descened on Mathura a week ago, she was reluctant to come out of her air-conditioned car and she "preferred to wave from inside the car instead of coming out and greeting people. When there was criticism, she tried to make amends and got herself photographed at the hand pump or holding a sickle and joining the farm-workers in the field," said school teacher Mohan Lal of Goverdhan.

 

Going by the frenzied response of the crowd that gathers to see actor turned politician Hema Malini at her public meetings or road shows in both the urban and the rural areas of Mathura parliamentary constituency, it would appear she is set to cake walk to victory. Mathura goes to polls on April 24.

 

But the under-currents of discomfort and the failure to make a dent in the popularity of sitting MP Jayant Choudhary of the Rashtriya Lok Dal, are clearly discernible in the local BJP outfit. State president Laxmi Kant Vajpayee tried hard to iron out differences and seek "unqualified support" of the local leaders to ensure Hema Malini's thumping victory.

 

Two days ago after  Hema Malini complained to the party's top leaders including Modi, about the differences and lack of 'passionate support' from a section of local leaders, two senior members of the BJP were sent to Mathura and told to stay put to  coordinate the campaign

 

In this Jat-dominated constituency, Choudhary Charan Singh's name still casts a spell and with a chunk of muslim votes assured, Jayant remains a formidable opponent. The recent reservation to Jats goes in his favour, when you talk to youngsters from the community, who seem to believe "this move alone will open flood gates to opportunities for them."

 

"Undoubtedly, Narendra Modi will help her get extra votes in the urban areas. BJP is strong in all the urban clusters and there has been a degree of polarisation also. But the mob out there is having fun, many clicking photos of Hema or Esha. The fear is all this popularity hype could be superficial. When the time for voting comes, it will be all caste and community considerations. We are now being told that soon Dharmendra Paji will appear on the scene and play the Jat card to clinch the show," explains academician and author Dr Ashok Bansal, teaching at BSA College.

 

Of the around 16 lakh voters in the district, Jats alone constitute 3.5 lakh voters. The muslims population is around 80,000. The Bahujan Samaj Party candidate secured around 1.25 lakh votes in 2009. The Thakurs claim to be around 2 lakhs. The Brahmins and Bania vote banks are traditionally with the BJP. The BSP has fielded Yogesh Dwivedi, a Brahmin and Chandan Singh, a Thakur has been put up by the Samajwadi Party. The Congress is in alliance with the RLD.

 

Jayant Choudhary of the RLD, who initially everyone said had done nothing much for the constituency, is slowly firming up. "He is dead honest and this one quality is the talk of the town. No wonder he is drawing solid support now," comments businessman Mukesh Sharma. Each day hundreds of pilgrims visit Vrindavan, Mathura and other shrines of the Vaishanavite sect. "When the Gujaratis tell us about development and Modi's performance in their state, we also feel like supporting him and giving him a chance this time," added Shankar, a halwai near the ISKCON temple in  Vrindavan.

 

To the specific charge of Hema Malini being an outsider who would return back to Mumbai after the election, Esha on her behalf told mediapersons Sunday evening "no question. She keeps coming here and we have deep bonding with Braj culture and Sri Krishna. Even after the elections she will do all in her power for the development of the area." She said her mother was keen to restore the pristine glory of Braj mandal. Like her mother during the road show in villages Meerpur, Pithora, Palkhera, Hasanpur,  and dozens of others, huge crowds lined up the roads to get a glimpse of glamour. My mother is grateful to the party to give her an opportunity to serve the "Shri Krishn-nagri," she said.

 

Clearly, Hema Malini is using all her histrionic skills to lure the voters, sometimes as a gopi lost in the thought of Sri Krishn, as a harassed citizen pumping in vain water from a hand pump in a dilapidated condition, as a farm worker holding the sickle. In her speeches she wails and laments at the pathetic civic conditions in such important pilgrim centres like Goverdhan, Vrindavan. "She is now working extra hard to win the confidence of the people in Mathura and in this task her daughter and son in law have also chipped in their support," says farmer Atar Singh of Adeeng village on way to Goverdhan.

 

Hema Malini is particularly focusing on the plight of women, roughly 7.25 lakhs in the constituency.Her appeal is infectious and deep, say her numerous admirers. "People keep waiting for hours in the villages to have her darshan. So popular have been her films, including Sholay, that the character of Basanti is now taking a real form," adds paanwala Rakesh at the Mathura bus stand.