Party flags fluttering on roof-tops, banners, albeit a few ones, hanging from walls, pamphlets having been distributed in households and anxiety levels soaring- Samardha was all set to host its first “visitor”, BJP’s candidate from Huzur constituency Rameshwar Sharma, who was to arrive in the village by 7 pm on Friday evening for campaigning.

The village had been missing out on all the action for a very long time and so the thrill was almost impossible to suppress. While most complained about having been completely neglected by the high-flyer sitting MLA Jeetendra Daga of the BJP for the last five years, a few others especially the children in the village couldn’t hide their excitement about the importance being given to the village and its people, even if it meant for a few days.

By early morning, the kids were up and out running around in the village in spite of the nip in the air. The party caps which some of them wore gave away their hideouts as they peeked from behind the temple walls and shops during their game of hide and seek. The others had discarded their caps after having become bored of it. “I left my cap back home. I don’t feel like wearing it anymore,” said a class five student Ayush as he rushed to find his next hiding spot.
While none of them knew that schools remained closed on account of Muharram, almost all of them were aware of the upcoming elections. Some said that the preparations were being made for the “sarpanch ka chunaav (election of the village head)”, a few others chuckled that it was for the “bada chunaav (big elections)” and today was the day for the “bhaashan (speech)”. They were more than happy to be informed by the BJP’s workers that they would get to burst firecrackers in the evening and they just couldn’t wait.

On the day of the campaign, the otherwise ignored village elderly were the most sought after as party workers went around looking for the senior-most person in the village whose blessings the candidate would seek before making his speech. On being asked about how they felt about the importance being given to them, they said it was an “aam baat (very normal)” during elections. “Yehi toh waqt hota hao jab woh humein yaad karat hao. Chunaav ke baad kaun dekhne aata hao hum jiyein ya marein. (This is the only time when the politicians remember us. After the elections, they will not bother to find out if we are dead or alive),” says a septuagenarian who did not want to be named.

Another housewife Durga Devi, in her sixties, agreed that all this importance being given to her and the other villagers would disappear after the elections are over. “Right now, all the candidates will come calling us maataji and seek our blessings (read vote). Once the elections are over and we go to them for seeking approvals, etc., they won’t even look at us,” she complains.

The younger women, on the other hand, were upset because of the time chosen by the leader for the campaigning. “That is the time I prepare dinner for my family and myself. I may not step out for the entire programme but I’ll listen to his speech sitting at home only. Mike toh lagega hi (He will use a mike),” says Anita.

Throughout the afternoon, anyone who dropped into a neighbour’s home for some work or for casual chit-chat reminded him/her about the campaign and discussed what would the bhaashan (speech) be like. “Phir wohi sab vaade karke jaayenge aur agle paanch saal tak apni shakal nahi dikhayenge (They will again make the same old promises and then not show up in the village for the next five years),” said 20-year-old Pinky who will be voting for the first time.
Ask her why she is not excited about the elections and the campaigning activity and she simply says, “Same old promises about electricity, roads, and drains are made every time. I wonder if they will ever fulfill them and talk about newer things.”

By 6 pm, the activity and enthusiasm in the village had peaked. The kids had made their plans and decided who would burst which firecracker, where and when. The young girls had gathered in their groups and were seen talking and giggling in their chosen corner from where they would witness the entire proceedings. The housewives constantly peeked from their doors and windows to see if there was any “hulchul (activity)” and went back smiling inside every time they were informed that there was still some time to go.

It was only after an hour that the BJP candidate arrived with his party workers, almost 20 of them, packed in eight cars that zipped into the narrow lanes of the village. Sharma and his men got out of their cars just next to the local Hanuman temple amidst loud cheers and crackling of firecrackers. Most of the villagers- young and old, busy and the not-so-busy, men and women had gathered around the temple to welcome their visitor. The two village elders, who had already been selected by the party workers, presented garlands to Sharma, who in turn touched their feet before taking the mike to address the gathering.

In his well-rehearsed speech, which lasted for around 20 minutes, Sharma promised good quality education and a field for the village youth to play their sports. For the women and young girls, Sharma promised to keep the Laadli yojana going, a scheme which has been a complete hit in the BJP-led state. Also, Sharma promised the men, most of whom are contractual workers in factories located in the industrial hub around 2 kms away, to provide them easy access to loans.

But what garnered a thunderous applause was Sharma’s appeal to make Shivraj Singh Chauhan the CM for the third term and Narendra Modi the next PM. “Shivraj ji ko hat trick dilvayenge aur Narendra Modi ko PM banvayenge (Will you make Shivraj Singh Chauhan the CM for the third consecutive term and Narendra Modi the next PM)?” he asked and in response came an endless applause from the crowd which echoed through the village lanes.

Having finished his speech and a little snack that was arranged by the villagers, Sharma and his men got back into their cars and drove past the villagers who stood there till the last car disappeared out of the village.

The kids went back home shouting the slogan of “Kamal ka button dabana hai, Bhajpa ko jeetana hai”, while the elders returned to the warmth of their homes hungry and tired after all that hoopla. It was time for dinner and their late-night television programmes. The discussions on the candidate’s speech weighing the pros and cons could wait till the next day.