Supriya's speeding grey Land Cruiser is now trailed by a dozen local party vehicles with flags, banners and hollering party slogans/songs. The cavalcade bumps along, in a cloud of choking dust, between villages on rough, up-and-down tracks that pass off as roads.

Supriya is making good time, but is worried she will be late for her rally at Saswad at dusk. In each village a clutch of villagers, in white topis (caps) and colourful saris, are already squatting at the village chowk or under a towering, cool tree, when the NCP leader sweeps in to say her few practised words, using a mike attached to a jeep that is part of the motorcade.

Often by the time the last NCP jalopy straggles into a village, Supriya is already exiting it, to head to the next and the partymen don't even have time to dismount in a flurry of pyjamas and colourful party scarves. Supriya frequently stops, for a few seconds at individual cottages, a village co-op, a temple or to exchange namastes with folks assembled on the way.

Tondal, Virgaon, Pangare, Velhe, Adachivadi... The Lok Sabha candidate moves between tiny hamlets about two to three hours off the Pune-Saswad-Jejuri highway. Water is scarce in these villages. Fig trees grow abundantly in the bone-dry soil. Most villages have a central and recently painted/built temple. Says a local worker, "People are none too rich around here. But nor are they that poor."

Flocks of sheep graze. Chickens, cattle are abundant. As are flies and plastic bags that flutter and blow in the dry hot wind in the wasteland surrounding the villages. River and streams are just a trickle. Electricity cuts are frequent. Power is often drawn from motorcyles and mini generators.

Image: Women turned out in equal numbers to hear Supriyatai speak. Photograph: Sanjay Sawant.

Also watch: The Olympian candidate | Coverage: India Votes 2009

Back

|

Next