MYSORE: Ganigas, who are traditionally involved in oil extraction, are gearing up to celebrate the swearing-in of Narendra Modi as Prime Minister on May 26.
The Ganigas, who are not a prominent community in terms of their population in Mysore city, consider the PM-designate as a member of their community given the fact that even Ganchis, a community to which Modi belongs, are oil seed crushers.
Mysore Zilla Ganigara Sangha has already ordered for 5,000 laddus to be distributed to public at the busy Agarahara Circle on Monday immediately after the swearing-in ceremony.
The people of the community who are scattered in different parts of the city and found in considerable numbers in Tilak Nagar and Bannimantap, are eager to see Modi’s rise to the top position of the country.
Ever since Modi’s coronation as prime ministerial candidate, the Ganigas blurred their political differences and came together to work for Modi, though implicitly. Every happening on the political scene during the election was closely watched and discussed.
During election, the discussions near a push-cart cigarette shop run by Mysore Zilla Ganigara Sangha convenor Shivaswamy mostly revolved around Modi.
“What do you think will be the election result?” was the common question which Shivaswamy used to pose to most of his customers.
He even used to gauge people’s mood in other parts of the country through his conversations with taxi drivers who bring tourists to a hotel in front of his shop. “We had identified Modi as our man ever since we read about him in newspapers when he first became chief minister of Gujarat 13 years ago,” said Shivaswamy as he pulls out an old poster printed for a community event, where Modi’s picture is prominently placed.
Puttaswamy, another member of the community, said that discussions to celebrate Modi’s swearing-in had begun ever since the results were out giving a thumping majority for the BJP. “We expect nothing from him though we strongly believe that he will work for welfare of the country and especially common people. Above all, we are immensely excited about a fellow community man assuming the prime minister’s office,” he added.