From songs with desi DJ vibe to Bollywood memes: How election campaigning shaped up in Haryana

A catchy tune, Haryanvi lyrics, and full desi DJ vibe are adding to the election flavour on the streets of Haryana where election is underway on Saturday, October 5.

Each party uses these ingredients lavishly to make their case. Interestingly, one candidate has not just one song dedicated to themselves, but many, and auto rickshaws, public gatherings, and rallies ensure that the musical message is loud and clear.

More than two weeks ago, popular Haryanavi singer Amit Saini Rohtakiya, who has a fan-base of 1.7 million on Instagram, uploaded on his YouTube channel his song dedicated to Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini. “Arey Nayab Singh nahi bole, kaam bolle se, Haryana ke har kone main kaam bole se… Arey kar de 75 paar re bhai, ektarfa sarkaar re bhai, log tere kaam maan aaj bhi yaad karte hain, Nayab Saini ko bana diya CM Haryana ka, oh BJP hum tera dhanyawaad karte hain” – says the lyrics that praises the saffron party for making Saini the chief minister and expresses confidence on his victory. The song has generated over 480,000 views on YouTube.

In Palwal district’s Hathin, music is skillfully used to communicate what Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) plans to do if it comes to power in Haryana. Soon the singer takes over; “Tayyub Hussain neta theek bataaye hain, Haryana Police ki chhod naukri yeh sewa karne aaye hain (Tayyub Hussain is described as a worthy leader as he has left the job of police to serve the people)”.

In another part of Hathin, a different song is played for the same candidate: “Chautala aur Mayawati ne kare jo bandhan jaari ve, Hathin kshetra main Tayyub Hussain ko jeet milegi bhaari ve,” roughly translating to that the alliance of the INLD and BSP will ensure a massive victory for Tayyub.

Who is ahead in social media campaigning

Satirical videos targeting the ruling BJP government, especially by the Congress, have taken the internet by storm. Consider one such popular video of a ‘tauji’ that has garnered over 31,000 likes on Instagram.

Donning a saffron jacket, the tauji is sleeping on a charpaai. Then comes a girl who tries to wake him up. “Arey uth jaa tau, Haryana main mehengaai aur berozgaari rocket jaise upar ja rahi hai, (Wake up uncle, inflation and unemployment are skyrocketing)”. A young man follows her saying: “Re tau, kidnapping, firauti aur murder main hum number 1 ho gaye, ab to uth le (We are number 1 in kidnapping, extortion, and murder, at least wake up now),” inviting a slap from the leader. “Re tau MSP nahi mili, mila to sirf kaala kanoon, (dear uncle, we did not get MSP and only draconian laws),” says another youth.

Most of the social media campaigning of the grand old party for Haryana election revolves around tauji, a rap ‘rehen de kamal’, which focuses more on satire and less on confrontation and provocation.

Consider this campaigning video uploaded by Haryana Congress: a ruling party leader’s car gets stuck in a pothole. He looks outside his window and shouts at ‘chasme, chaabi waale’ vendors – referring to the poll symbols of the INLD and the Jannayak Janta Party (JJP).

“Arey nikaal iss musibat se. Tum dono ko mantri bana dunga, (get me out of this problem and I will make both of you ministers)” the leader says to the two vendors. “Lagta hai bohot zyada phas gaya hai Kamal ka pahiya iss baar, (It feels Kamal’s tyre has gone way deep inside the pothole),” says one of the vendors as they attempt to lift the car. In a desperate attempt, the two leaders inside the car urge the two youths to help. “Iss baar to baahar hi nikaane ki taiyaari hai mantri ji (this time we will ensure that you get out),” A few moments later, everybody on the street starts showing their hands to the leader, grooving to “Ab rehen de Kamal” which is played in the background. This video has generated more than 4,700 views and received over 5,500 likes on Instagram.

Meanwhile, the BJP’s social media videos focussed on “not pressing the wrong button” on the election day.

In one of the videos, a woman calls her sister, who is unable to listen to what she is saying. She gestures to her sister to press the right button to make her voice heard, to which the latter later apologises. “Aaj to galat button daab diye, par 5 taarek ko sahi dabaana. Naah toh Himachal jaisa haal ho jayega, (It is fine today, but ensure you press the right button on October 5, otherwise we are left to the situation seen in Himachal),” she advises. This video has received over 5,500 likes on Instagram, and over 1,600 views on X.

The saffron party is also targeting its arch-rival over parchi-kharchi and is spreading its message via various animated videos, claiming money being taken to provide jobs when it was not in power. It makes sure that its animated videos also target Congress’s father-son duo Bhupinder and Deepender Hooda.

Another key player in Haryana –JJP – is neither using satire nor direct confrontation in its social media campaign to target its opponents.

“Aksar dekhne ko milta hai ki aarthik tangi ki wajah se yogya chhatron ki competitive exams ki taiyaari adhoori reh jaati hai. Iska kya samaadhaan ho sakta hai, (what can be a solution to the economic deprivation that affects the preparation of competent students in competitive exams),” asks the narrator in a JJP video. The video claims that able UPSC candidates will get monetary assistance of Rs 1 lakh to pursue their dreams if the party in alliance with Aazad Samaj Party (Kanshiram) comes to power. Such short videos, which range from a film city in Hisar to strict laws for women safety, are used via social media to garner support by the JJP, with views up to 10,000 on a post on X.

‘Ghatak’ meme to ‘Tauba Tauba’ reel

The Congress is also using iconic Bollywood scenes, dialogues, songs to increase their social media engagement. As ‘Ghatak’s’ Kaashi (Sunny Deol) struggles to get treatment done of his father, a voice emerges “Kaashi apne pita ka muft ilaaj kara paayega iski koi guarantee nahi hai, lekin Haryana main Congress sarkaar bante hi aap sabhi Rs 25 lakh tak muft ilaaj karwa payenge”.

In a reel uploaded by the Congress, famous Bollywood song’s lyrics ‘Tauba Tauba’ is replaced by “Kamal se tauba tauba” as Saini’s artificial intelligence-generated image dancing like actor Vicky Kaushal.

Only voters can tell better whether these gimmicks work or not, but to an intense and high-voltage politics, they definitely tickle your funny bone.