‘Seedha-sadha’ rath yatri seeks to wrest seat from Congress

MUMBAI: Gopal Shetty’s followers know that underneath his tough exterior lies a tougher, no-nonsense karyakarta. The BJP’s Lok Sabha candidate, though, is willing to flash a toothy grin, for a change, as party activists shepherd him through the criss-cross lanes of Charkop, a densely-populated basti in the Mumbai North constituency where he is challenging sitting Congress MP Sanjay Nirupam.
Ensconced in his makeshift rath, a Bolero fitted with an amplifier and draped in garish posters, Shetty accepts greetings from residents, mostly women, some with lamps, a traditional welcome to the BJP MLA.
The itinerary is well-planned, and party activists keep going in a huddle to ensure that Shetty doesn’t stray from the schedule. “This will go on till 10pm,” says Shetty’s close confidante Amit Vyas and adds, “Gopalbhai has an eye for detail. And he is never behind schedule.” The rath trundles on as many more pour out of their tiny homes for a ‘dekko’. Glasses of butter milk do the rounds, to beat the April heat.
Swapnali Parab, a TYBCom student, is eager to take a close look at the BJP candidate. “Looks a seedha-sadha aadmi (simple man),” she remarks, as Shetty, standing rim rod straight in the rath, accepts some more garlands from the crowd. He is flanked by Hemendra Mehta, former BJP MLA, who has earned the soubriquet of mota bhai (elder brother) in the party.
Perched as he is on a height, women admirers find it tough to smear vermillion on Shetty’s forehead. He has a way out. He stretches out his long wrist to the adoring aarti platoon. “The seedha-saada aadmi is smart too,” says senior party functionary Ramesh Medhekar, with a laugh.
Swapnil Gosavi thinks Shetty is “cool”. The hunky physical trainer briefly follows the saffron rath on his bike, and manages to shake Shetty’s hand. “Good that he doesn’t break into a bhashan,” says Gosavi.
Shetty says his work speaks for him, especially a clutch of public gardens he created for Borivli residents. “The railways, too, is a key issue on my agenda,” he says.
Nearly 3,500 commuters succumb to accidents every year on the Western Railways suburban section. If elected to the Lok Sabha, I will take up the issue with the rail ministry,” he adds. He has plans to upgrade and strengthen civic amenities in Mumbai North, especially in Malavani, Charkop and Magathane.
The district BJP is present in full quorum for Shetty’s trek in Charkop. “The party’s organizational strength is entirely backing Gopalbhai. We aren’t going to be complacent. All party units are working in the campaign,” says Jayaprakash Mishra, a senior functionary.
Former Union minister Ram Naik, who represented Mumbai North in the Lok Sabha for five consecutive terms before being trou8nced by actor Govinda of the Congress in 2004, joins the cavalcade.
“We are all geared up. We will wrest Mumbai North from Congress,” declares the BJP war horse, and goes atop the rath, blurring the distinction between the party’s two generations.