What it is like to attend a Modi rally

Ja ke keh do sholo se aur chingari se
Kamal khiley hai taiyaari se...

(Go spread the word that the lotus will bloom would be a poor translation of that couplet.)

Bharat Kumar Yadav, an avowed supporter of Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Yadav, is among the crowd. Astutely aware of politics, he says he has attended a few meetings addresses by Lalu Yadav, but this is the first time he has come to a BJP rally.

"Only because of Modi. I wanted to see what he is like, what his thoughts are because it seems quite certain he will be the next PM," says Bharat Yadav, who will vote for the RJD.

Lalu Yadav, barred from contesting this election because of his conviction in the fodder scam, has won Chhapra four times. Since he can't contest, in the family tradition of musical chairs he has perfected so assiduously in the state, his seat has been given to his wife, Rabri Devi.

"We changed Lalu's jungle raj. Lalu has brought infamy to the land of Chhapra. You have to save this land," says MLA Nitin Navin while the BJP candidate, Rajiv Pratap Rudy, sits on stage in cool whites.

Rudy, the BJP's national spokesperson and a off-and-on airline pilot, has won Chhapra twice. He lost the 2009 election by 52,500 votes to Lalu and hopes to ride on the Modi wave this time.

Seen as a city-slicker in Chhapra, Rudy speaks in Bhojpuri. "I have been travelling in villages and people say they want Modiji to become PM," he says.

"If you vote for Rabriji, will she become PM?" he asks.

"No!" shouts the crowd.

"But if you vote for me, Modiji will become PM," says Rudy, looking at Modi who sits at the centre of the stage.

The crowd roars.

...

It's time for Modi, who has flown to Chhapra after voting in Gandhinagar, to take to the speaker's lectern. But for him, the lectern is carried to where he sits.

In his signature white vest-kurta-pyjama-lotus (brandishing which, he got into trouble with the Election Commission that morning), he takes to the stage and thanks his audience for coming to see him on such a hot day.

"Political pundits sit in their air-conditioned rooms and talk about 1 per cent swing here and 2 per cent swing there. They should come to Chhapra and see the direction of the wind."

"It is clear that the Congress is not going to open its account in many states. It will not cross more than 9 seats in any state," says Modi, who has addressed 23 rallies in Bihar.

His attack is against the Ma-Beta (Sonia Gandhi-Rahul Gandhi) and Lalu-Rabri.

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who broke a 17-year-alliance with the BJP last year and has borne the brunt of Modi's attacks in the state, is not mentioned once -- indicating that the fight in Bihar is now between a resurgent Lalu and the BJP.

He takes a sarcastic swipe at the RJD-Congress alliance, saying that the fact that Sonia or Rahul haven't shared a stage with Lalu-Rabri in the state proves their double standards.

"What are they ashamed of that this alliance remains shrouded behind a veil?" he asks, before firing a salvo at the Congress, Ma-Beta and Manmohan Singh who denies a 'Modi wave'.

"For someone who couldn't see price rise, unemployment, farmers suicides, jawans' killings... how can you expect him to see a Modi wave?"

A burst of people rushes to the left barricade of the ground, but are held at bay by the cops.

Not one to let this opportunity go by, Modi improvises, "There may not be enough room for you at this ground, but you have room in Modi's heart."

...

Someone has fainted in the crowd. The police carry him away to a shaded area in the shade. There is an ambulance parked at the venue.

"Even if all the prisoners in India's jails are released, they will not be able to save the Ma-Bete ki sarkar. You are laying the foundation stone of the next government," says Modi who has traveled tirelessly in this election campaign.

It is now time to make a pitch to the first-timer voter and young voters, many of whom are precariously perched on the poles.

He cautions them to not vote in a "nikammi (useless)" government that will ruin the five best years of their life.

"Forget who becomes your MP. Forget what becomes of Modi, but think of what will happen to you," he says, pointing towards the crowd.

"Modi! Modi! Modi!"

"Give me a chance to fulfil your dreams. You have given 60 years to the shasak (ruler), now give 60 months to a sevak (one who serves). I have come this far by selling tea. I want to live to serve the poor."

The speech lasts 24 minutes.

Modi does not mention Rudy once.

Soon after, he dashes back to his waiting chopper, parked 100 odd metres away. The crowds try to get as close as possible to see the chopper take off. A cloud of dust momentarily clouds the blazing sun.

...

I have made my way to the rally, riding pillion on a local journalist's motorbike and wait for the crowds to thin by the welcome shade of a tent. Someone passes around small cups of mishti doi from Sudha, Bihar's milk cooperative movement.

The lady next to me is a government employee whose phone was stolen from her bag.

Since it is a sarkari mobile, she isn't too worried about the loss as much as her contacts list. "It had all the numbers of those I need to be in touch about poll duty. I'll have to get those numbers now," she says.

We talk about the BJP's chances in Bihar and she feels Ramdev and Giriraj Kishore's remarks could damage the BJP.

She doesn't want to reveal her name because as a government employee she shouldn't be openly showing support, more so attending a Modi rally.

"But I am a long-time fan of Modiji," she says. "How could I not be here?"