NEW DELHI: Mapping the swinging fortunes of the BJP and the Congress early into the counting on Monday were the faces of party workers and leaders. In the BJP office, spokespersons Sambit Patra, Nalin Kohli and Shahnawaz Hussain were reluctant to face the cameras till about 9.15 in the morning, when early leads put the Congress marginally ahead. But in about half an hour, by when the BJP was clearly leading, the air of solemnity dispersed and the spokespersons were more accessible.
In contrast, in the Congress office, a party worker kept shouting zabardast, zabardast (tremendous, tremendous) when the party was ahead. But in half an hour, he was saying, Arre, yeh toh wahi purani kahani ho gaya (it is the same old story again).But Congressmen were mostly self-satisfied. “We have been able to take the fight to their backyard,” was the refrain.In both party offices all eyes were on television screens.
In the BJP office, senior leaders were not seen until about 10.30 am. Among the first ministers to walk in were Smriti Irani and Jitendra Singh. By then the share markets were beginning to tank. News channels reported a loss of 850 points in the sensex.“Given the tight contest this time, even we were also expecting that there would be a thin margin. But, Congress marching ahead surely gave us tension. We just hoped that the tally would turn around,” said Vinod Sharma, a party worker.
By noon, the party office was packed with a crowd cheering for the twin victories in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh. Party workers and supporters chanted “Modi, Modi”. Groups of activists set off firecrackers as the margin increased decisively in favour of the BJP.Outside the Congress headquarters at 24 Akbar Road, the mood was not unlike that at a stadium with a crowd watching a tense one-day cricket match. There were smiling faces at one moment and at the next the smiles were wiped out.
Around 8.30 am, when the first leads started trickling in, the Congress camp seemed down and out as figures showed a clear majority for the BJP. When the leads briefly showed the Congress ahead in the BJP’s citadel, it sparked a mini-celebration in the camp. Party workers started congratulating each other.
The tide turned yet again at 9.30 am and the premature celebrations were cut short.