Political support & its fringe benefits

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Dahi handi celebrations have always been patronised by political parties. This year too the trend continued and politicians shelled out lakhs over prize distribution, spectacular stage arrangements, DJs and celebrity participation. With the 2014 elections round the corner, the dahi handi celebrations saw even more political involvement. Politicians from various parties in the city and adjoining Thane spent nearly `7-8 crore as rewards in the Janmashtami celebrations that took place on Thursday. On their part, the politicians did not admit to spending more on account of the elections, but did admit that the spending will have a bearing on the minds of the people. The spending spree they agreed would continue throughout the long festival season that includes Ganeshotsav, Dussehra and Diwali.
MNS MLA Ram Kadam from Ghatkopar is perceived as the politician who began the trend of converting the dahi handi celebrations into a glitzy, hi-profile event in 2008. He was “rewarded” by winning the Assembly elections the year after that. However, Mr Kadam attributes his success in the previous elections to luck and hard work. He said, “I was lucky when I won the elections. It is one’s luck and hard work that is most important.” The MNS leader, however, chose not to comment on the expenses. “For me, the chapter is closed as soon as the event is over. It is the people’s happiness that matters to me the most, not money,” he said. Actor Shah Rukh Khan also participated in Mr Kadam’s dahi handi celebrations. Other Bollywood stars present at the event included Jeetendra, Ameesha Patel, Asha Parekh, Jayed Khan, Prem Chopra, Ramesh Deo and Yukta Mookhey.
However, he is not the first politician who has tried to woo voters by way of organising events. This strategy was first adopted by late Shiv Sena leaders Anand Dighe, who had started sponsoring events at the Tembhi Naka of Thane.
BJP MLC Ashish Shelar has been organising dahi handis for the past 11 years. However, he claims that there is no ulterior motive behind the same. “The celebrations are not part of my election agenda. They (voters) know what to do,” said Mr Shelar.
Shiv Sena MLA Rajan Vichare also rejected any link between the events organised on dahi handi and an election agenda. He said, “We have been following the late Anand Dighe since the past 32 years.” But, Mr Vichare did admit that such events helped him in his career as a successful politician. He said, “I have been a councilor five times, mayor and now an MLA. It is due to these events.”
Another Shiv Sena MLA Pratap Sarnaik who spent around `70 lakh for the dahi handi celebrations this year, claimed that it is the aspiring corporators who splurge on such events with an aim of career advancement in politics. “The aspiring MLAs think that organising such lavish events paves the path for a successful political career. It is only partially true,” said Mr Sarnaik.
There are some new entrants as well. Congress MLA from Vile Parle, Krishna Hegde, organised a dahi handi event for the first time this year. He also invited celebrities such as Rohit Shetty
and Shreyas Talpade. “I spent around `25 lakh. I know such events impress voters,” said Mr Hegde.
NCP MLA Jitendra Awhad who is supposed to have had the costliest of dahi-handis in Thane for the past many years saw him post a reward of ` 25 lakh as the main prize and various smaller prizes totaling `75 lakh, according to locals. Mr Awhad, however, denied any political benefits attached to the prize money. “These awards are our efforts to encourage the govindas in the city, not to gain any political mileage. The efforts and hard work of the govindas cannot be measured in terms of money.” Mr Awhad’s main opponent in Thane, Pratap Sarnaik of Shiv Sena, not to be outdone, also offered the main prize of ` 25 lakh
Assembly aspirants Ajay Badgujar (Shiv Sena) and Ravindra Phatak (Congress) had announced prizes worth `22 lakh and `21 lakh at Bandra-Kurla Complex and Thane respectively. Shiv Sena MLA Vinod Ghosalkar and BJP MLA Ravindra Chavan had sponsored cash award worth `21 lakh.
This trend is likely to be taken forward in the forthcoming Ganeshotsav, which allows greater scope for grabbing public attention in terms of the duration and masses. Several Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav Mandals in the city have political patronage and the festival will offer a golden opportunity to those politicians who aim to buttress their propaganda for the upcoming elections due next year.
In 2012, there were 11,852 Sarvajanik Ganpatis in the city and the number is likely to increase further this year. Most of the mandals receive support from politicians in the form of sponsorship and donations. No prizes for guessing that the funding will increase generously just like it did in the dahi handi festival.