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Journalism of Courage
With this election likely to be the last one Prime Minister A.B. Vajpayee is contesting, the toughest challenge before the BJP in Lucknow seems to be ensuring a huge victory margin for the leader.
As campaigning drew to a close at 5 pm today for the May 5 elections, those managing Vajpayee’s poll campaign faced the challenge of mobilising local cadre, asking people to vote for Vajpayee to ensure that he wins with a record margin.
Though Vajpayee’s victory is almost certain, with SP candidate Madhu Gupta, Congress-backed Independent Ram Jethmalani and BSP’s Nasir Ali Siddiqui pitted against him, the margin is an issue of concern.
However, ground reality has left little hope for the heavy turnout on May 5.
The BJP’s Lucknow unit has had hardly any role to play in Vajpayee’s campaign committee. Mayor S.C. Rai has also not been given any responsibility. The chief of the party’s city unit never gets a chance to share the dais with Vajpayee when he addresses meetings here.
With local leaders backstage, those managing the show for Vajpayee include his old friend Shiv Kumar.
He has been entrusted with the responsibility of the campaign committee in Lucknow while his son Mahesh Parikh, who lives in New Delhi, has been made deputy media incharge. Vajpayee’s nephew Anoop Mishra is also actively involved in campaigning.
Besides these, most senior national party leaders, including Prakash Javadekar, Sanjay Joshi, Arun Jaitley, Sushma Swaraj and Venkaiaha Naidu have been frequent visitors to the constituency.
Local leaders say these heavyweights have spun a web around the PM, making it difficult for them to break into it. This also explains discontent among the local cadre.
