BJP steps up ‘chowkidar’ drive, PM to address 25L ‘watchmen’

Vibha Sharma
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, March 19

PM Narendra Modi will address more than 25 lakh ‘chowkidars’ on the eve of Holi through audio bridge as he intensifies his “Main bhi chowkidar” campaign.

BJP media incharge Anil Baluni said Modi would share the “colours of Holi” with watchmen across the country on Wednesday. On March 31, the PM is also scheduled to interact with people who have pledged their support to the “Main bhi chowkidar” (I am also a watchman) campaign from 500 places via video conferencing.

The BJP believes that the campaign is turning into a movement, with which the people are connecting. Whether “chowkidar” will prove to be the “chaiwala” moment for the Prime Minister and the interaction get similar traction as “chai pe charcha” in 2014 is the question.

After a rather lukewarm response to the “Modi hai to Mumkin hai” campaign, the “chowkidar” theme seems to have caught the attention of the people. 

Baluni said, “The programme is aimed at the common man of the country who silently works in the background and is one of the invisible pillars of the country. The #MainBhiChowkidar campaign has got a massive response on the social media.”

“A chowkidar is a person you see every day, whether it is your society guard, the ATM guard, your office guard or security in a mall. Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeks to bring these common men from behind the scenes to the vanguard of a New India,” he adds.

However, the PM prefixing “chowkidar” on his Twitter handle has also received equal amount of disdain.

Maya mocks, he’s no more ‘chaiwala’

Bahujan Samaj Party supremo Mayawati on Tuesday hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying he has changed his profile from ‘chaiwala’ to ‘chowkidar’ only to get votes in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. “So now Narendra Modi is a chowkidar and no more a ‘chaiwala’ which he was at the time of last Lok Sabha election. What a change India is witnessing under the BJP rule. Bravo!” she tweeted.

BJP holds 2nd CEC, shah may not contest

BJP chief Amit Shah is unlikely to contest the LS polls and the first list is expected to include the PM’s name, sources indicated, as the BJP central election committee (CEC) began its second round of deliberations to finalise the list of candidates. Several sitting MPs are expected to be changed to avoid the anti-incumbency factor.