Owaisi woos voters during paidal daura

The song Chali chali re patang meri chali re from the 1950s film Bhabhi breaks the quiet of Friday morning as Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen workers welcome party president Asaduddin Owaisi for the paidal daura (canvassing on foot). In this context, the song is a clever play on the MIM’s electoral symbol, the patang (kite).

Mr. Owaisi, surrounded by a phalanx of supporters, begins canvassing from under the Metro Rail Line in Chaderghat and enters a bylane wide for only two two-wheelers to pass.

“Assalaamualaikum”, he greets those standing at the doors of the modest homes or peering from the windows. “April 11 is an important day. Please cast your vote. MIM ka saath dijiye (help MIM win),” he says into a wireless microphone. A speaker is carried by one of his



supporters.

As he proceeds towards the Urban Primary Health Care Centre at Moosabagh, the lane becomes tighter, till only two people can walk beside each other.

There are women and men to greet him from both the majority and minority communities, and workers hand over the party’s pamphlets to them. “It is the Parliamentary election. Dua kijiye, vote daaliye (please pray, cast your vote),” he says. The paidal daura crosses Malakpet Metro Station and reaches Saheefa Masjid in Azampura.

The group crosses the Azampura Chaman and walks over a nala where an octogenarian is standing outside her house at Azampura. The wrinkles on her face turn into a smile after Mr. Owaisi greets her. “MIM ka saath dijiye,” he says as he concludes campaign for the day at Chanchalguda.