Elections 2014 are certainly throwing up quite a few surprises as far as the kaleidoscope and sheer novelty of candidates trying their fortunes at the political hustings is concerned: on the one hand you have scions of former royal families contesting the polls and on the other you have humble chai and rickshaw wallahs doing the same.........
Meet one such candidate, 37 year old Shatrudhan Gupta, who dons the vestments of an archetypal neta, safed dhoti, kurta, Gandhi topi, black waistcoat et al; the only difference being that he has being selling his delectable concoction to anybody and everybody who throngs the renowned Hanuman Mandir on the national capital's bustling Baba Kharak Singh Marg for the last 13 years and more........
Gupta a native of Bihar's Achariya district came to the national capital some 15 summers or so ago to make his fortune and subsequently set up this tea stall that bears the inscriptions of "Connaught Place waaley Baba ki Jai", "Bhola Baishno Tea Stall", and Netaji Chai Waaley" on a sizeable yellow board in clear and prominent Hindi right outside his humble and unassuming shop........
On being asked why he gave himself the nomenclature of "Netaji Chai Waaley", he proudly replies "I tried my best to contest the 2009 parliamentary elections from the ultra prestigious New Delhi parliamentary constituency, but my nomination was rejected at the last minute because of certain issues related to my identification documents"......
"Ask anybody where 'Netaji Chai Waaley' sets up his stall and they will always point you in this direction, I have been at it for the last 13 years and more and have become a kind of permanent fixture in the area", he remarks.......
Citing the unstinted and steadfast support of every small and petty trader in the area, this humble and unassuming father of four says, "I will certainly be successful at the hustings this time around as my honesty and sincerity are known to everybody in the area and besides both the MLA as well as MP from the area have done little either by way of development or alleviating the numerous problems faced by their constituents on a daily basis".....
He further says that "I am faced with little or no competition this time around as the precious incumbents have done precious little to win over the affections of the common man and besides the candidates fielded by the parties this time around lack in stature and organisation in comparison to me".......
Two tin cans asking for an anudaan or donation of Rs.1/- per person are prominently displayed right outside the portals of his "renowned" tea stall, "I have managed to raise a little over Rs. 30,000/- so far, thanks to the large heartedness of my well wishers and supporters, I neither have the wherewithal or then organisational and financial strength of established political parties and thoughts exchanged between me and my supporters over a cup of chai are my sole means of communication and canvassing for votes", he adds.........
" Lord Hanuman and the blessings and good wishes of my legions of supporters are with me, something tells me that I will surely be successful this time around, but if I am not successful, I will certainly not lose heart or give up but keep trying till I am successful in raising the everyday concerns and fears of the marginalised Aam Aadmi who has come to be taken for granted", he signs off........
One wonders why the Aam Aadmi's party had to go shopping elsewhere for a candidate from the New Delhi Parliamentary constituency when one such candidate was awaiting them in the form of Shatrudhan Gupta right outside the renowned Hanuman temple on Baba Kharak Singh Marg.......
Meet one such candidate, 37 year old Shatrudhan Gupta, who dons the vestments of an archetypal neta, safed dhoti, kurta, Gandhi topi, black waistcoat et al; the only difference being that he has being selling his delectable concoction to anybody and everybody who throngs the renowned Hanuman Mandir on the national capital's bustling Baba Kharak Singh Marg for the last 13 years and more........
Gupta a native of Bihar's Achariya district came to the national capital some 15 summers or so ago to make his fortune and subsequently set up this tea stall that bears the inscriptions of "Connaught Place waaley Baba ki Jai", "Bhola Baishno Tea Stall", and Netaji Chai Waaley" on a sizeable yellow board in clear and prominent Hindi right outside his humble and unassuming shop........
On being asked why he gave himself the nomenclature of "Netaji Chai Waaley", he proudly replies "I tried my best to contest the 2009 parliamentary elections from the ultra prestigious New Delhi parliamentary constituency, but my nomination was rejected at the last minute because of certain issues related to my identification documents"......
"Ask anybody where 'Netaji Chai Waaley' sets up his stall and they will always point you in this direction, I have been at it for the last 13 years and more and have become a kind of permanent fixture in the area", he remarks.......
Citing the unstinted and steadfast support of every small and petty trader in the area, this humble and unassuming father of four says, "I will certainly be successful at the hustings this time around as my honesty and sincerity are known to everybody in the area and besides both the MLA as well as MP from the area have done little either by way of development or alleviating the numerous problems faced by their constituents on a daily basis".....
He further says that "I am faced with little or no competition this time around as the precious incumbents have done precious little to win over the affections of the common man and besides the candidates fielded by the parties this time around lack in stature and organisation in comparison to me".......
Two tin cans asking for an anudaan or donation of Rs.1/- per person are prominently displayed right outside the portals of his "renowned" tea stall, "I have managed to raise a little over Rs. 30,000/- so far, thanks to the large heartedness of my well wishers and supporters, I neither have the wherewithal or then organisational and financial strength of established political parties and thoughts exchanged between me and my supporters over a cup of chai are my sole means of communication and canvassing for votes", he adds.........
" Lord Hanuman and the blessings and good wishes of my legions of supporters are with me, something tells me that I will surely be successful this time around, but if I am not successful, I will certainly not lose heart or give up but keep trying till I am successful in raising the everyday concerns and fears of the marginalised Aam Aadmi who has come to be taken for granted", he signs off........
One wonders why the Aam Aadmi's party had to go shopping elsewhere for a candidate from the New Delhi Parliamentary constituency when one such candidate was awaiting them in the form of Shatrudhan Gupta right outside the renowned Hanuman temple on Baba Kharak Singh Marg.......
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