Bangaru builds BJP appetite with Rasam

The theme, apparently, is in tune with the BJP’s efforts to reach out to the entire cross-section of its cadre, particularly the South, where it has been trying to get a strong foothold.

Adding to the South Indian flavour would be some traditional Maharashtrian dishes like Zunka-Bhakar, spiced brinjal and rice and the Vaidarbhiya Vada-Bhaat.

In all, 230 cooks and helpers will work in shifts of 70-personnel at the 260 x 40 sq ft elongated kitchen adjacent to the main dining shamiana, which is spread over a 150 x 80 sq ft plot. Two additional pandals stand adjacent to this hall and one of them will exclusively host the VVIPs like the Prime Minister, the Home Minister, chief ministers of BJP-ruled states, Union Cabinet members, senior party functionaries and leaders from various states.

According to Manohar, 2,000 kg each of onions, vegetables and potatoes and 3,000 litres of milk would be used during the entire conclave. The feast on the concluding day will have a special sweet dish, Puran Poli.

At least 10 pulverisers have been installed for churning dal and spice and 12 tandoors are in place for the chapatis. A round-the-clock coffee shop would serve cold and hot beverages, baked vegetables and cookies to the VVIPs.

Close circuit television cameras would scan the movements in the main dining hall as well as the PM’s pavilion and the kitchen.

Meanwhile, the ornately decorated main hall at the Pandit Bachcharajji Vyas campus, where the conclave is to be held, stands testimony to the involvement of local BJP functionaries in making the event a memorable thing. They have all the reasons to feel so considering that after a long gap the city is hosting a political convention of this significance.

According to Mohammad Zaheerbhai, who is in-charge of the decoration work, a mind-boggling 20,000 bamboos and as many wooden poles have been used to erect pandals at the main venue, the dining complex, the MLA hostel, city airport, Smruti Mandir at Reshimbag, Deekshabhoomi and in barricading the routes from the Airport to the Civil Lines and other areas from where the VVIP convoy will pass.

The meeting hall is lit up by 1,000 tubelights and halogen lamps and 350 ceiling and pedestal fans, to provide for the comfort of the delegates. The 35 x 50 sq ft dais will have four air-conditioning units and modern audio system. In the front, a specially dug up 20 x 35 bunker will accommodate at least 50 members of the television crew and electronic media.

The entire premises have been decorated with thermacol craftwork for which the artists were summoned from, besides city, Indore, Calcutta, Jabalpur, and other places. “Nagpur never had a political conclave bigger than this,” sums up Zaheerbhai.