Dimple 'bhabhi' adds colour to SP campaign

Lucknow: The reticent and soft-spoken ‘bahu’ of the first family of the ruling Samajwadi Party in UP, Dimple Yadav, has finally found her groove, emerging as a major crowd puller in election rallies all over the state.

From the fumbling leader who repeatedly corrected herself while going through her written text in Parliament on Kaushal Vikas mission some months ago to proper utilisation of manpower, the 39-year-old Kannauj MP has come a long way.

The new Dimple – the star campaigner – has learnt how to keep the audience especially the youth involved and impress them.

Aptly donning the role of the ‘bahu’ and ‘bhabhi’, she has gone about endearingly reprimanding the young enthusiasts with warnings that she will complain about them to their ‘bhaiya’ (Akhilesh Yadav) and at the same time taking care of the elders among the electorate seeking ‘muhdekhaiye’ (gift) for her in terms of votes.

When party workers went berserk in Allahabad, she said, “I will tell bhaiya (Akhilesh) that you did not let me speak.

I will complain…bhaiya is coming here tomorrow.” 

Addressing another election rally in Jaunpur, she won over the elders and young alike when she started her speech seeking ‘muhdikhai’ — a ritual where family members give a gift to a bride when they see her face for the first time.

“…Main pehli baar poorvanchal aayee hoon…mujhe muh dikhai milegi…poora vishwas hai (I have come to Poorvanchal for the first time. I am confident I will get the gift of votes as muhdikhai),” she said striking an instant chord with the people.

In the face of dissent in the family which had left Chief Minister and party president Akhilesh Yadav almost alone to lead the campaign, he found sufficient support in his wife who took to electioneering on her own and with ease.