HISAR BYPOLLSAMITABH SHUKLA / HISAR
The constituency headed for one of the most important bye-elections in recent years, is witnessing a campaign unheard of in a Parliamentary election. Team Anna and Team Baba (Ramdev) working for the same cause – defeat of Congress.
This is perhaps the only election where a group is campaigning to vote against the Congress, without specifying whom to vote. Team Anna members have intensified their campaign and held as many as six meetings in different parts of the sprawling constituency on Monday. They have only one agenda – Vote against the Congress and defeat it so badly that it repents its omission and commission on Jan Lokpal and corruption.
Baba Ramdev too has become a poll issue in the election with members of Baba’s Bharat Swabhiman too campaigning vigorously, albeit in a silent manner. Though members of “Team Baba” are not saying whom to vote or against whom to vote, the message is clear. They have mobilised all their supporters and they are reminding the people about the
As both Rajbala, who died two months after the security forces forcibly evicted her and thousands of supporters and Baba Ramdev are both from Haryana, their appeal has found many takers. They are leaving nothing to chance and the issues of black money, corruption ad a strong Lok Pal Bill which they are raising are clearly against the Congress.
The saffron surge of Baba Ramdev is supplementing the efforts of Team Anna and they have succeeded in creating a strong anti-Congress wave which is sweeping the constituency where a triangular fight is on.
Team Anna decided to foil the impact of the political parties by holding a late night meeting at a venue, just opposite the Government college which has so far witnessed rallies by the HJC-BJP and the Congress so far and another is planned by INLD on Tuesday.
Amidst war cry of “Bharat Mata ki jai” and “Vande Mataram” Arvind Kejriwal reminded the people that Hisar was the “karmabhoomi” of Lala Lajpat Rai and he also hailed from the same area. “We have started the second phase of our campaign from this place…Defeat Congress so badly that it is forced to pass the Jan Lokpal Bill in the Winter Session of Parliament,” he said, amidst applause, flag waiving and war cry of the slogans again.
Using popular lingo, he said, “We used to go to the forest (for toilet)…You know, a roll of toilet paper costs Rs 22. For the Commonwealth Games, it was bought for Rs 3700…This is your money. This is our money. Will you allow the loot to continue?” he asked as the crowd of around 1500 people shouted back “No, No. Shame, Shame”.
He explained the Jan Lok Pal Bill to the people and described it as an instrument which will end such practices. Kejriwal said that they would continue to campaign in every Assembly election against the Congress if the Bill were not passed.
It is here that he brings Baba Ramdev, clearly a popular figure in this part of the country. “What was Baba’s fault? He was against black money but what did Congress do? They sent police and rained lathis on innocent people…Would you like this to happen again?” he asked, as the involved audience thundered back, “No”.
Just 500 metres away, Baba’s supporters had formed a chain at the roundabout of one of the most busy traffic junctions of Hisar, a few furlongs away from the Bus stand. They were not blocking traffic but merely passing on the pamphlets to the pedestrians, cycle peddler, drivers and anyone passing by. They appealed the people to vote 100 per cent and described the election as a ‘Mahasangram” (a big war). The “Team Baba” supporters wanted black money stashed abroad to be declared as national asset and wanted it to be brought back to the country. They demanded a case of murder to be registered against those who indulged in violence on satyagrahis leading to the death of Rajbala and a strong Lokpal amongst other demands.
The coming together of the two streams of anti Congress thought (Team Anna and Team Baba) is creating a strong undercurrent in which the HJC-BJP seems to be clear beneficiary. (11.10.2011)
http://dailypioneer.com/nation/12361-anna-baba-polarise-congress-voters.html
http://dailypioneer.com/state-editions/chandigarh/12402-anna-baba-stack-up-odds-against-cong.html
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