It was indeed a comedy of errors that unfolded on the stage set up for the Samajwadi Party’s campaign at Bharatpur in Rajasthan.
The erstwhile kingdom of the royal house of Bharatpur is largely a Jat homeland. But in the fray are three Pandits in the Bharatpur City Assembly constituency, put up by parties traditionally suspicious of the former — the SP, Congress and BSP. The candidates are Pandit Ram Kishen Sharma, R.P. Sharma and Aklesh Lawania respectively.
But then, at the SP rally, it was self-appointed Rajput leader and party general secretary Amar Singh and Bollywood mascot Raj Babbar who were going to address the people. The crowd of a few thousands, that had gathered at Gandhi Grounds at high noon, knew what it was here for — to catch a glimpse of the ageing B-grade star. The crowd’s excitement on spotting the helicopter ferrying the two leaders was short-lived.
And as they waited for Babbar to garland the token statue of Mahatma Gandhi (even a cycle, the SP symbol, was propped up awkwardly on the mantle) after Amar Singh, the bustle gave way to disappointment. In a few minutes, the entire maidan knew Babbar had not come.
‘‘I have nothing to say to those who have come to see a movie star,’’ chided Singh, ‘‘but I certainly have a lot to say to those youths who look for development, roti, kapda aur makaan.’’ But the boos indicated that it was not enough.
The SP’s presence here is marginal — in 1998, it contested 34 seats and forfeited deposits in all of them. Now, the party could perhaps play a damaging role for the Congress, its ally in UP.