ON the evening of May 8, in a nukkad sabha in Raebareli, dozens of empty chairs stare at Congress supporters on stage. A property stands to their Modi, stutters. A poet takes the mic and instructs the audience to pay attention, to clap, to egg him on. When nothing works, he heckles them. Nothing works.
Then, a name drops, and dhol beats rend the air. The seats fill; a crowd builds. Now there's no space to sit. So they stand-near the stage, behind the chairs, on the wall-and wait. Not long after, she arrives, wearing sneakers and salwar kameez. Everyone stands; many take their phones out-restless to hear, clap, roar. Priyanka Gandhi? Nope, they react as if stirred by a storm, Priyanka Aandhi.
Indian voters usually reserve such a reception for a famous politician, but she's never fought an election. She's here, as always, to campaign for her brother, Rahul. Even though the stars no longer align for the Congress-in the last election, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won 62 seats in Uttar Pradesh, 18 more than the former in the whole country-one constituency continues to glow, Raebareli. It's supported the Congress for decades, ensuring at least one seat in the country where the sun never sets on India's grand old party.
This story is from the June 01, 2024 edition of Outlook.
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This story is from the June 01, 2024 edition of Outlook.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
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