Road show drives people to vote right

PUNE, Feb 17: At first glance, it seemed pretty innocuous. A crowd of passers-by gathered round what seemed like just another roadside tamas...

3 min readFeb 18, 1998 12:00 AM IST

PUNE, Feb 17: At first glance, it seemed pretty innocuous. A crowd of passers-by gathered round what seemed like just another roadside tamasha on Ganeshkhind Road, a few yards from the University gate. Soon the crowd swelled to around 40, curious to know what the little congregation was all about.

But closer inspection revealed a show with a difference — solemn, with a mission to accomplish. Hamaal and Rickshaw Panchayat leader Baba Adhav sat on a dhurrie, mike in hand, communicating not just to hamaals or autorickshaw drivers but the entire populace on an issue that is probably bigger than any other right now — the election of a political party that can give the country a stable government.

For the past few days, the Angmehanti Kashtkari Sangharsh Samiti has been holding roadside meetings in areas like Swargate, Gultekdi, Railway Station, University Circle and so on. They simply spread a rug, put up their banner, adding to it a poster exhibition on issues like girls’ education and inflation and a hugeboard detailing the rise in prices of essential commodities over the past few years. Passers-by are then invited to air their grievances or voice their expectations from the elected Lok Sabha candidate from the city. “We formed this Samiti recently in view of the forthcoming elections and since February 12 have been holding impromptu meetings at various places in Pune, ‘ explained Baba Adhav, who is president of the Samiti.

“Our main objective is to educate the populace in general and uneducated workers in particular about the various issues that need to be taken into consideration before they part with their valuable votes to elect a candidate. For example, when you go to buy vegetables you survey the goods, scrutinize their quality and pick only the good ones. For the elections, we want people to adopt a similar mind-set and elect a candidate only after they have questioned him, ascertained his credentials and are convinced of his sincerity,”said Adhav.

He said the meetings had led him and his fellowmembers to conclude that there are three main issues that concern the common man today — inflation, unemployment and water scarcity. “We want the voters to extract concrete promises from the candidates,” he added.

“In fact, we have decided to broaden the scope of the Samiti by continuing its activities even after the elections to ensure that the elected candidate keeps his promises,” he said.

Sunanda Mehta

Sunanda Mehta is the Resident Editor of The Indian Express in Pune. She is a distinguished journalist, columnist, and author with over three decades of experience in the media industry. Educational background: A merit-lister in her 12 th in CBSE (5th rank in Humanities) Sunanda stood first in History in the Board for which she was awarded the Dr Tarachand Gold Medal. She is a triple-graduate with a Bachelor of Arts (History Honours) from Lady Shri Ram College, New Delhi, Bachelor of Education, Delhi University (on scholarship) and Bachelor of Communication and Journalism, University of Pune. Professional Background Role: As Resident Editor, she oversees the Pune edition of The Indian Express, managing local news coverage, investigative features, and editorial direction for the city. Author: She is an accomplished author, known for her biographies. Her notable books include: The Extraordinary Life and Death of Sunanda Pushkar published by Pan Macmillan (2019). The book was long-listed for the Atta Galatta award for nonfiction and Auther award for best debut author. Majestic Musings - Translation of poems from 100 year old Badshaian from Punjabi to English (2023) Behind the Big Screen- the untold stories of child actors published by Bloomsbury India (2024) Focus Areas: While Sunanda has reported on various subjects from civic to political to investigative and crime, her forte remains long-form human-interest stories, heritage and gender issues. Core Column: "Against All Odds" Sunanda curates and writes a signature series titled "Against All Odds," which profiles individuals who have overcome significant personal, medical, or professional challenges. Recent notable articles (2025) The Story of Dr. Harinder Dhaliwal (July 2025): A Pune AFMC topper who became a neurologist in Canada despite becoming paraplegic. Jayoo Patwardhan’s Cancer Journey (Jan 2025): How the National Film Award-winning designer defeated cancer. Partha Iyengar’s Emergency mid-air (Aug 2025): The story of how Gartner’s India head survived a massive heart attack during a long-haul flight. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) Her recent reportage continues to explore deep personal narratives and Pune’s socio-environmental landscape: 1. Personal Narratives & Closure "'I grieved for him 10 years after his murder, found closure to unsolved case'" (Dec 14, 2025): A poignant feature on Vineet Alurkar, son of the late Pune music legend Suresh Alurkar, and how digitizing his father’s collection helped him heal. "A 40-day journey home: how Christopher Benninger's partner gave him the gift of memories" (Nov 23, 2025): A moving tribute to the late acclaimed architect Christopher Benninger and his final trip to the US. "'After 38 years I finally met my biological mother'" (Sept 28, 2025): Chronicling the journey of an adopted daughter from Zurich searching for her roots in Pune. 2. Civic & Heritage "'Vetal Tekdi belongs to common citizens'" (Oct 20, 2025): An interview with environmental activist Dr. Sushma Date on the community-led protection of Pune’s vital green lungs. "'Military village' Apshinge recalls living through war days" (Aug 12, 2025): A report from a village in Maharashtra where nearly every household has a member in the armed forces, focusing on their legacy and current anxieties. 3. High-Profile Commentary & Investigations "Malegaon blast acquittals: 'I was expecting this verdict'" (July 31, 2025): An interview with former special public prosecutor Rohini Salian following the controversial acquittals. "Grounded, license cancelled... she decided to soar higher" (March 30, 2025): The story of Dr. Harpreet A De Singh, Air India’s first woman pilot from 1988, and her transition to leadership and meditation. Signature Style Sunanda Mehta is known for her empathetic storytelling. Unlike standard news reporting, her features often read like narrative non-fiction, focusing on the psychological and emotional resilience of her subjects. One of her articles in The Indian Express titled 'The Quality of Mercy' was converted into a film Rubaru Roshini produced by actor Aamir Khan. She is a strong advocate for Pune's heritage and environment, frequently using her platform to amplify citizen-led movements. X (Twitter): @sunandamehta and @ExpressPune ... Read More

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