Congress slogan makers have outdone themselves in creativity and stuffed Patna with posters with catchy one-liner slogans ahead of Rahul Gandhi’s February 3 'Jan Akanksha Rally'.
One of the posters read, Ummido par chala hathoda, yuva tal raha pakoda [Aspirations have been crushed, as youth forced to fry pakoda]’.
Another says, Chokidar ho gaya manmauji, seema par shahid ho rahe hai fauji [The chokidar has become autocratic, as jawans are getting martyred at borders],’ while referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Even the famous detective James Bond, who has no connection to the country’s politics has found a place in the slogans.
M asks James Bond, How do you like your new car?’. He replies, Ab nahi chahiye, saheb ki sarkar’ [No more Modi government]’.
The Jan Akanksha rally would be the Congress party’s first major rally in Patna in the past 28 years. And hence, the party is taking steps to ensure its message is delivered safe and sound to the voters.
Such slogans on the Congress party’s flagship pre-election campaign drive in Bihar, where it's been rhymed with everything from Twinkle, twinkle, little star: Sarkar Badalo Abki Baar’ to Phir Bajega Congress ka Danka: Tasweer Badlegi Bahan Priyanka’, appear to have generated much interest and ready to go viral in the Indian social media.
The BJP has been the target of these slogans.
The Congress party aims to launch and continue with a high-decibel advertising campaign to woo the voters.
We have come out with our slogans as the current government lacks credibility. They have failed to fulfil any of their promises, which is why our slogans highlight the gap in what the BJP had promised and delivered, said Lalan Kumar, a former president of Bihar youth Congress.
Some of the slogans are made dramatic to ensure high recall," he explained.
Lalan, who has come up with multiple posters in Patna with his catchy slogans is hopeful that all his liners will hook up the audience.
The idea is to keep it simple. Everyone has to get the message loud and clear," Lalan said.
If our slogans are catching up, it is because the people have seen how the three newly formed Congress governments in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh have fulfilled their poll promise of waiving farmers’ loan immediately after taking over. If you have credibility, your slogans will catch up, says Chandan Yadav, an AICC secretary.
History has taught us that slogans and elections always go together.
From Indira Gandhi's rallying cry of "Garibi hatao" during the 1971 elections, to Narendra Modi’s all-inclusive "sabka sath, sabka vikas " and "Abki baar Modi sarkar" have become a part of the national lexicon.
The punchline for 2015 Bihar elections was Naya Bihar: Nitish Kumar.
