Parties make hundreds of campaign promises but not all are seen by voters as central to a party’s offering. The 'tamasha' has been going on for decades but promises always remain as promises only. The 2022 Assembly elections was no different, let us have a look at 5 such weird promises and campaigns which hit headlines this election season.
Three riders to be allowed on bikes
Ahead of elections in Uttar Pradesh, Om Prakash Rajbhar Founder and Chief of Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party, said that if his party comes into power, they will pass a ruling, allowing three riders on a two-wheeler. The politician argued that if a train with a seating capacity of 70 can carry 300 passengers, then why is carrying two pillions attracting a fine in India. Om Prakash Rajbhar even mentioned that their government will start fining jeeps and trains if it is unable to allow three riders on a two-wheeler.
Washing Style Yogi Ka
A video ad-campaign of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly election created a lot of buzz online which soon went viral. The video has jingles from Detergent powder Nirma's advertisement, Vicks candy advertisement, Vicco turmeric cream advertisement, Vicco Vajranti advertisement, Nerolac paints, Lifebuoy soap advertisment among others. The video goes on to praise the duo of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Uttar Pradesh chief minister Ajay Mohan Bisht. It also points out all the achievements of Adityanath as a CM in ‘ridding the state of crimes’ and ‘protecting women’ or ‘UP ki surakshit beti’ or what the nation knows as the anti-Romeo squad .The video also caught attention of RPG group chairman Harsh Goenka. Harsh Goenka shared this little over 2 minutes video and claimed that the BJP sure scored a goal with this ad campaign ahead of the Assembly elections 2022.
Appealed for votes in a bowl wearing handcuffs and shackles
Independent candidate Ramdas Manav, contesting from Firozabad city, was spotted appealing for votes while wearing shackles, handcuffs and holding a bowl. Ramdas is the leader of a union of bangle workers and he feels that workers working at bangle factories are being exploited. He forayed into the election to improve the condition of the workers. His election symbol is a bangle. Ramdas who is a laborer by profession did not have enough money to spend on an election campaign so he took a bowl in his hand and went about asking for votes and notes. Ramdas claimed that the factories are holding on to the workers like the shackles he was wearing, and that the workers are not free. The workers are in handcuffs and shackles, he alleged. Ramdas also said that these shackles will come off when the laborer is free.
Wooing voters with fried 'Puris'
UP minister Brijesh Pathak caught eyeballs when he took to the busy streets of Lucknow with his supporters for a door-to-door campaign and fried 'puris' at a roadside kiosk in Narhi Bazar. He also tried his hands at a sewing machine at the “Ladle Tailor” shop. Though Pathak said it was nothing new as he had been moving about in the area for the last five years, his presence at the roadside kiosk and the tailoring shop generated interest among the locals who were also applied "tilak" by the minister.
Singing songs to please voters
Senior minister Suresh Khanna tried to impress voters by singing songs invoking patriotism in Shahjahanpur. Seeking re-election from the Shahjahanpur seat for the ninth time, a video clip of Khanna singing a song at an election meeting went viral on social media. The BJP leader was heard singing his version of poet Pradeep's "hum layen hain toofan se kashti nikal ke, mere desh ko rakhna mere bachho sambhal ke", scripted for the 1954 film "Jagriti" and sung by Mohammed Rafi.Khanna's lyrical appeal, in line with his party's campaign to keep Uttar Pradesh safe from the vices of crime, terrorism, casteism, regionalism and dynasticism is -- "is kshetra ko rakhna mere mitron sambhal ke, hum laye hai apradh se Uttar Pradesh nikaal ke...atankvad, kshetravad, jatiwad ko, humne kiya parast pariwarvad ko...behka na de vikas se koi dhoke me daal ke...is kshetra ko rakhna mere mitron sambhal ke. Tumhi bhavishya ho mere Uttar Pradesh vishal ke...."Chairman of the Zila Sahkari Bank in Shahjahanpur and BJP leader DPS Rathore said Khanna had made such appearances on different party platforms earlier as well.