Shotgun8217;s boom more effective off screen

NEW DELHI, November 22: Shatrughan Sinha appears to be one actor-turned-politician in the BJP glamour circle who still manages to pull crowd...

NEW DELHI, November 22: Shatrughan Sinha appears to be one actor-turned-politician in the BJP glamour circle who still manages to pull crowds. Dressed in a pristine white churidar-kurta and a khadi jacket, he began his day campaigning for his party8217;s candidate, Ramcharan Gulati, in Trilokpuri in east Delhi.

A pandal was set up in a small marketplace surrounded by jhuggis. Children ran all around the place with flyers in hand. The auto-rickshaw drivers 8212; that tribe that does not seem to have weekly day off 8212; had taken the morning off to listen to Shatru. The women, chiefly domestic helps in nearby houses, had given prior notice to their employees that they would be reporting late for work.

8220;We have no source of entertainment in the jhuggis. The Sunday programmes on television are boring. Today, Shatrughan Sinha himself has come to entertain us. The weather is also perfect. What more can one expect on a Sunday morning?8221; said a woman in the crowd. She nevertheless told this reporter that she had decided to vote for the Congress.

Shatru8217;s booming voice left people enthralled at Trilokpuri. A section of the crowd urged him to deliver some of his lines from his films. Instead, he entertained them with shayari: 8220;Kuchh baat hai ki hasti mitti nahin hamari, sadiyon raha hai dushman zamana hamara8221; There is something remarkable about us that ensures our existence despite all the enemies over the ages. The audience cheered. A youth yelled: 8220;Shatruji, agar aap ek baar satta mein aajayen, to zindigi ban jai. Mein saara gum bhoola doonga8221;. My life will be made if Shatruji comes to power once. I will forget all my sorrows8221;.

The crowd did not want to hear the aspiring MLA speak. They wanted Shatru to go on. No one was interested in politics. But Shatru had to rush to Krishna Nagar to campaign for Dr Harshvardhan. Minutes after he left, most of the crowd walked to the Congress pandal. Ramesh, a rickshawpuller said: 8220;Sunil Duttji will address us here. Now that Shatruji has left, we will listen to Sunilji8221;.

At Krishna Nagar, more than five hundred people were eagerly waiting for Shatrughan Sinha. Most people had come with their families. Women fought with men for chairs. The men refused. Some stood on the chairs. Helpless police officers looked on.

8220;Agar Lalooa ke paas pyaaz nahin hai, to woh pyaaz ka mala kaise pehenta hai? Agar Congress ke paas pyaaz ka kami hai, to woh pyaaz se apne netaon ko kaise tolta?8221; If there was a shortage of onions in the country, how would Laloo Yadav wear garlands of onions, how could Congress candidates weigh themselves in onions?8221; asked Shatru.

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8220;Krishna Nagar residents should not weigh Atalji with onions,8221; said Shatru.8220;Weigh him with love. And, you will feel good inside.8221; When the crowd did not say a word, Shatru continued, 8220;We should not stoop so low and remain obsessed with onions, tomatoes and salt. We should rise high and think of nuclear tests. We are stronger than Pakistan, aren8217;t we8221;?

There was virtually a stampede when people reached out to touch Shatru. BJP supporters escorted him to his car. Shatru left for yet another public meeting at Jagatpuri.