BJP unleashes election jingles focussing on Narendra Modi

AHMEDABAD: The BJP unleashed a virtual election blitzkrieg with seven election jingles focussing solely on its candidate for PM Narendra Modi. These ditties, which have been uploaded on Modi's official website, include NaMo anthems, chant, mantra, and a song with the punch line, 'Modi aane wala hai'. All the songs barring one are in Hindi.

To counter the BJP's jingle onslaught, the Congress was quick to upload, 'Feku Jaane Wala Hai', a direct spoof on 'Modi Aane Wala Hai'. In the backdrop of images of 2002 riots in the state, the Congress song alleges that the Gujarat chief minister will introduce politics of hatred if he is elected prime minister.

There was a time when the BJP's election jingles were about its ideology and its agenda for the coming elections but, for the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, the party seems to have adopted NaMo slogans as its official tunes. Almost 90% of the BJP election jingles are on Modi and they are designed to be downloaded as caller tunes or ringtones.

One of the jingles is entirely in English and sung with an American accent. It begins, 'Listen Indians, now it is time to change,' and goes on to talk of Modi being a tea vendor who is now set to become prime minister. The song says that he is going to counter terrorism, and is the voice and choice of India.

A similar jingle is replicated in Hindi as 'NaMo aanewala hai' (NaMo is coming). Focusing on the killing of soldiers and farmers, it says that times are set to change as NaMo is coming. Modi is again called the voice of the people.

Sources in the BJP say that this is the first time that the party has not come out with its own poll songs. Instead, it has promoted NaMo jingles as its official slogans. Several BJP leaders, including president of the state unit, RC Faldu, have set these ditties as their caller tunes. Faldu has set 'Modi anewala hai' as his caller tune, said the sources.