The men who carry the show

Manohar Decorators in Parel has been in the business of setting up stages for 25 years now. “Back then, political rallies were small affairs, atop a wooden stilt stage made with bamboos,” says Ajay Salvi, of Manohar Decorators.

Now, the material he uses has to confirm to the SPG’s (Special Protection Group) Blue Book, which lists stringent guidelines for security. “Even the material for the barricades, the number of people sitting in every block and the shape of the block is specified. We have to follow those norms,” adds Salvi.

Political rallies have moved from being a show of strength for local netas to grand spectacles, with organisers using high-end sound systems, LCD projection and professional video cameras.

Raju Savla, of the Munjlal group in Wadala, began his stint in the business by organising the Michael Jackson show. Since then, he has put his experience to good use for his political clients. As the contractor, Savla has to look after every detail at the venue, from toilet facilities to drinking water. His two decades in the business have taught him to arrange differently for the classes and the masses. “We give food packets to the VIP leaders. We also have chemical toilets for them, but we use BMC mobile toilets for the public,” he says.

However, due to the election code, bemoan organisers, politicians cannot spend too much. “The Election Commission decides the rates for every segment.  We cannot make much profit,” says Savla.

But one detail few politicians would be willing to skimp on the sound system that takes their message to the masses. One of the oldest players in this area is Chetna Radio. Tucked away in a quaint back lane of Girgaum’s Mughbhat, the company has been renting out sound systems to rallies since 1953. “I have given sound systems for the rally of every prime minister of this country from Pt Jawaharlal Nehru to Dr Manmohan Singh,” says Haresh Mehta.

Mehta learnt the hard way to insist on advance payments from political clients, since they often ‘forget’ to clear their bills. “The best was the late PM Rajiv Gandhi. My experience with the Shiv Sena was the worst,” says Haresh.

His father Pragnesh Mehta is no stranger to political battles. In December 2006, when the Congress and Shiv Sena had their rallies back-to-back at Shivaji Park, they both asked him to arrange the sound so as to drown out their rival’s. But the one rally that really stands out in the minds of the father-son duo is the December 6, 1992 rally of Ramdas Athavale of the Republican Party of India. “When Athavale heard the news of the demolition of the Babri mosque, he announced it in his speech. All hell broke loose after that; chairs were thrown, people were running around. I was most concerned about my life,” recalls Mehta.

With changing times, point out the Mehtas, demands from even relatively smaller players have grown. “All our equipment is linery (a new acoustic system) and everyone wants it,” says Pragnesh, his son.

Being prepared for the unexpected is often a part of the job, as top organiser Raju Kakade discovered recently. Asked to design a stage for 60 people at the Third Front rally at Shivaji Park, Kakade’s massive creation eventually accommodated 500 people. “I knew Athavale’s rally would attract a crowd,” says Kakade, whose proximity to big politicians makes it easier for him to create concepts for rallies. It has also allowed him to lead the way in innovations like using professionally shot photographs of most leaders.

“Initially they wondered what am I doing. They realised the result after seeing their own posters and hoardings. Now I send my camera teams with the leaders and get the latest shots,” says Kakade. His innovations cut across party lines—his short film showing the face of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi fading in from the image of his slain father will be used for the party’s campaign.

“Politicians are leaders for people, but as a professional they are brands for me, whom I have to promote using various means”, says Kakade. “Rallies are a great opportunity for this.”