Gadag’s ‘Chaiwala Modi’ gets BJP ticket to figh urban local body poll

GADAG: A tea seller from Gadag, popularly known as ‘Chaiwala Modi’, has received a ticket from the BJP to contest elections to the urban local bodies of Gadag-Betageri town. Many partyworkers and businessmen have sought tickets, but it was this tea seller, Chennappa Dyampur, of Ward 23 who got it, thanks to his popularity among residents. 

This chaiwala does not have any money to spend on poll campaign, but he is visiting people and offering them hot tea, asking them to vote for him. His friends and family are helping him meet some expenses though. Chenappa has been selling tea near Gadag’s Mulgund Naka and Rachoteshwarnagar for the last 25 years. After news of PM Narendra Modi’s younger days selling tea spread, people started calling Chennappa as ‘Modi’.  

Two weeks ago, residents of Ward 23 called a meeting to choose their leader in the upcoming ward elections, when Chennappa was unanimously picked.  Siddalingeshwar Arali, a resident, said, “We have unanimously selected him and he is our area’s Modi. This is a ward election and we consider a leader who can work for us. We are collecting money from all residents to bear expenses for the ULB polls. This ‘chaiwala’ will herald change in our ward.”

“I never thought of joining politics. But people believed in me and I will work for them,” Chennappa said.