February 23, 1998

Pune  Maharashtra
Electorate: 13.5 lakh
Main Rival: V  Jupe (Congress)

In 1996, when he was the face of the Congress in Pune, winning was a breeze. Now, an Independent supported by the BJP-Shiv Sena, Suresh Kalmadi, 54, is finding life a trifle tiresome; it happens when you're wooing an electorate that has both Gandhi-worshippers and Godse-loyalists. These are paradoxes he isn't comfortable with. It shows when he baulks at the idea of sporting a Peshwa headgear with saffron, Dalit-blue and Muslim-green colours of his newly formed Pune Vikas Aghadi.

Kalmadi campaigns with the frenzy of a caged tiger -- from staunch Brahmin areas to streetside meetings in backward bastis. His cell phone in the pocket of a soiled, white waistcoat beeps just as he has begun to tell Muslims about "Kesri's disgusting behaviour". Six rows of schoolchildren in the thinly attended meeting clap on cue. By the end of four such meetings in a day, the trademark anger replaces the trademark confidence. His decision to dump godfather Sharad Pawar hasn't been digested; he is worried about Sonia's impending visit. And though he repeatedly harps on his pet theme -- Pune's development -- nobody is clear what this means. So, Kalmadi finds solace in what the future will bring -- the role of a power-broker in a BJP-led government. Having been that in the Rajiv Gandhi and Narasimha Rao eras, it's a role he will be comfortable with.

-- Smruti Koppikar

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