Advani yatra follows same script: frills galore,crowd elusive

From Hallomajra lightpoint to the Sector 29-31 roundabout,the ‘rath’ then moved towards Sector 30. While the BJP claimed that hundreds of workers would accompany the yatra,police outnumbered the party workers.

At the rally ground,as BJP leaders and people waited for Advani to arrive cultural programmes were interspersed with speeches from Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj,Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal and others like Captain Abhimanyu,Ravi Shanker Prasad and Sham Jaju.

BJP’s state ally,the Akali Dal,made its presence felt with Prem Singh Chandumajra.

Corruption and inflation was the flavour of the rally. The Art and Culture Cell of the BJP presented a skit depicting the problem of inflation. The central characters were Manmohan Singh,Sonia Gandhi,Rahul Gandhi and Pawan Kumar Bansal. To add a local touch,Congress councillors Pardeep Chhabra and Devinder Singh Babla were also depicted in the skit “Mission Loot Lo India”.

People from villages were ferried in buses and trucks to be present at the rally. Carrying party flags and banners they came shouting slogans. However,soon the enthusiasm seemed to die down. The party leaders had asked the prospective candidates and ticket hopefuls for the civic elections to gather crowd for the rally if they wanted a ticket. Those who brought the crowd made their presence felt by carrying banners with the ward number from where they came.