Volume up: Elections songs connect candidates with voters, boost their campaign
May 23, 2024
NEW DELHI: From singing the praises of candidates' roots and family legacies to highlighting their personality traits, playful campaign songs have struck a chord with voters here this election season with their liberal use of catchy phrases in locals dialects.
The dialects and languages used in these songs from Hindi and Bhojpuri to Haryanvi and Punjabi are reflective of the linguistic and cultural diversities of the national capital, inhabited by people from all parts of the country.
"Phir se Modiji ki sarkar dekhna chahusu" (want to see a Modi government once again) is one such Haryanvi song renting the air at the rallies of BJP candidates.
Underlining the progress achieved under the Modi government, BJP bigwigs have got composed several songs that also talk abut their roots and their family background.
Bansuri Swaraj, the BJP's New Delhi candidate and the daughter of the late party stalwart Sushma Swaraj, has also got a song composed that pays tributes to her mother and launches a fervent appeal to voters.
The song starts with "Modiji ko jeetana hai, Bansuriji ko lana hai (we have to make Modiji win, we have to bring in Bansuri ji." The lyrics refers to Bansuri as her Sushma Swaraj's shadow. "Sushmaji ki parchhai ko aage le kar jana hai."
The Congress has fielded Kanhaiya Kumar from the North East Delhi Lok Sabha seat, where he is up against BJP candidate Manoj Tiwari.
The battle between Tiwari also a Bhojpuri actor and singer and Kumar is also being fought, it seems, through musical instruments. The two leaders have tweaked Bollywood songs to attract voters' attention.
"Dham Dham Dharam Dharaiya Re dekhao aaya Kanhiya re," is Kanhaiya Kumar's campaign song. It borrows its music from the Bollywood number "Omkara Re Omkara" from the movie Omkara.
It lyrics further narrate Kumar's journey from Purvanchal to now knocking on the doors of Parliament. "Yaar hamara Sansad ki dahaleej pe dastak deta bhaarata)".
Manoj Tiwari has released a number of songs, including in Bhojpuri, seeking people's support. "Ek bar phir se Manoj bhaiya ke apnai liha ho, Modiji ko jeetaye diya ho (Please embrace your brother Manoj once again, make Modiji victorious once again)." The BJP has also released several party songs like "Tabhi sab Modi ko chunte hain (That's why all elect Modi)" to take on the the INDIA bloc which has emphasised unity among its constituents through its "Team India hain hum (we are team India)" song.
Delhi goes to polls on May 25 and the silent period begins this evening.
The Aam Aadmi Party's song, "Jail ke jawab mein hum vote denge (we will avenge the imprisonment through votes)" aims to tap into people "anger" over Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's arrest and transform it into votes.
Additionally, Kejriwal on Wednesday also shared on his X account a new campaign song sung by Anmol Gagan Maan.
The lyrics says, "Desh ko bachane aaya, bachchon ko padhane aaya, gareebon ka wo masiha, wo hai Kejriwal (He came to save the country, to educate the children, he is the Massiah of the poor, he is Kejriwal)".
