BALLARI: It’s the season to blow one’s own trumpet, and our netas excel at it. After performing some social duties like serving free buttermilk and chilled water to a thirsty public, political leaders have come up with songs featuring themselves and their achievements. The ditties, composed and put to music by their election teams, are paeans to the candidates. They narrate the achievements of leaders, their previous positions and their bond with the people of Ballari, and are going viral on social media.
Like the song on BJP leader B Sriramulu, which turns his political journey into a struggle. “Ballari manninenda eddubanda Anna Sriramulu...” goes the song in Kannada and Telugu, meaning Sriramulu has emerged from struggle in the land of Ballari and became a symbol of development.
The song, which addresses Sriramulu as ‘Anna’ (big brother) emphasises his victory, and also has some lines on his achievements as health and transport minister.
Not to be left behind, Congress candidate E Tukaram’s followers are planning to launch a song hailing their leader. The party has been using existing videos of party songs and has snitched a few notes of trending music frp, popular Kannada films, like KGF. A few years ago, former minister and sitting MLA Janardhana Reddy had composed a song for his daughter’s wedding, in which his entire family had taken part.
A BJP leader from Ballari said the songs are catchy and attract the attention of voters. “In the ongoing campaign, songs penned on local leaders is a new trend. The song on our candidate B Sriramulu is part of the promotion. We will also reach out to voters through other mediums,” he said.
“Even during the previous election, songs on leaders were composed and went viral, giving them good publicity. The songs are usually launched on social media platforms. As MLA and minister, our candidate Tukaram has done pro-people work which will help him win. He is known as the people’s politician, and we are soon launching two songs on this theme,” said a Congress leader from Ballari.