From a commoner, Mahida, who runs a tea-stall just opposite the Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC), is now a nationwide famous face
Kiran Mahida, a 52-year-old Chaiwala who supported Narendra Modi during the 2014 general elections is sure that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will win more than 150 seats in the state Assembly elections scheduled on December 9 and 14.
From a commoner, Mahida, who runs a tea-stall just opposite the Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC), is now a nationwide famous face. Mahida gained popularity after team BJP selected him to support then chief minister Narendra Modi who was filing nomination for the 2014 Loksabha elections.
He was in the limelight for the span of the election campaign, not any more. The party has long forgotten the chaiwala who came forward to stand behind a PM candidate who once sold chai.
Mahida has been a BJP member since 1990 and that was how he ended up being picked to support Modi's candidature.
Mahida took over his father's tea-stall in 1984. Showing a receipt of tax paid to the VMC for the same, Mahida says, "It's our family business. My father sold tea and then I took over from him. I'm proud of it. Even our Prime Minister was once a chaiwala."
"During a community meeting of chaiwalas in 2014, it was decided to select one of them to back the nomination of Narendra Modi. Saurabh Patel selected me. After that, Patel visited me once," Mahida said.
Though the top brass has ignored him, and despite being hit by the demonetisation, Mahida speaks highly of BJP's development model to anyone willing to listen. And he is positive that the BJP will win 150+ seats.
For four months after the high-value currency ban, Mahida rented a swipe machine for his tea-stall, but had to return it later.
"People don't use cards to pay bills of Rs10 or Rs15. They pay in cash. I rented the card swiping machine, but I still have Paytm in my mobile, if someone wants to make an online transaction," Mahida said.
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