On Saturday, Dimple Yadav will join husband Akhilesh Yadav for a road show in Varanasi
As the crowd started getting impatient waiting for Samajwadi Party MP Dimple Yadav, a party leader announced "aapki pyari bhabhi teen minute mein pahunch rahi hain (your dear sister-in-law will reach here in three minutes)."
In the heat and dust of campaigning, she stepped onto the battleground of Azamgarh, in a light lemon linen saree, her characteristic long-sleeved blouse and understated demeanour. She walked towards the dais, smiling and waving, and the crowd went into a frenzy.
Dimple, the wife of UP Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, had begun the day with a rally in this assembly segment of her father-in-law Mulayam Singh Yadav's Lok Sabha seat of Azamgarh in Poorvanchal, on the last day of campaigning for the sixth phase.
On Saturday, she will join Akhilesh and Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi for a road show in Varanasi, the Lok Sabha constituency of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
In Azamgarh, she struck a chord with the audience by beginning her speech in Bhojpuri. "This is the first time I have come to Azamgarh. Will you ensure bhaiyya's victory or not? We want your blessings," said Dimple, to deafening applause.
Referring to Akhilesh as Bhaiyya, she said "he wanted to come but they asked me to convey their message to you and seek your support" and sought votes for her party's candidate Bichai Saroj, the sitting MLA.
Entering the unfamiliar terrain of the rough and tumble of politics of Uttar Pradesh, the daughter of an army officer from Uttarakhand is slowly and gently making a niche for herself in a male-dominated world.
It was already past 2 PM when Dimple finished with her rally here, with two more rallies to address, one in Mubarakpur and the other in Sagri, both before sunset. This has been her schedule —addressing three rallies a day since the second phase of elections in Uttar Pradesh.
She was running behind schedule but, that did not deter her from spaning a moment to her party leaders behind the dais, and for the mediapersons at the helipad after every rally.
Her speeches have focused on issues like women's security, youth, targeting the BJP and rising prices. In Lalganj, she took on the Modi government on the increase of prices of gas cylinders, an issue on which the BJP is hoping to cash in with its 'Ujjwala Yojana' on LPG subsidy.
"She has more interactive sessions with the people. After returning to Lucknow, she interacted with the team of spokespersons telling them what line to take," said SP spokesperson Juhi Singh.
Hopping from one constituency to another in a helicopter, Dimple has a meal of home-cooked food generally of puri-subzi. She has addressed around 25 rallies so far, bringing a breath of fresh air into the party.
If the crowds at Dimple's rally were any indication, the Yadavs were consolidating in favour of the SP in Azamgarh, which Mulayam has not visited in the run-up to the elections. Dimple tried to make up for his absence saying "Netaji and Akhilesh bhaiyya have a strong relationship with Azamgarh." Of the 10 seats of Azamgarh, the SP holds nine. Akhilesh had held seven rallies in a day two days earlier, but not in Lalganj.
Amidst chants of "vikas ki chabi Dimple bhabhi (Dimple bhabhi is the key to development) there was a near stampede in the crowd. Dimple made it a point to mention the Dial 100 police vans parked on roads.
Asked whose speeches their children liked better between her and Akhilesh, she smiled and said "the mother's."
Whether Akhilesh is able to retain power or not, this election has propped up a new star in the Samajwadi Party.
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