Lok Sabha Elections 2024: Peppy catchlines reflect campaign themes

Will the Haath Badlega Haalaat catchline change the scenario not just for people but for the party too? Are BJP workers confident that it will be Phir Ek Baar Modi Sarkar (Once again, Modi government)? Will Delhi voters respond to Arvind Kejriwal’s call Jail Ka Jawab Vote Se?

While one saw a colourless catchline like ‘Self Reliance’—though it reflected a budding democracy’s aspiration—in the first election by Congress in 1951, parties are now preparing peppy catchlines that reflect their campaign themes.

Even though there is one main tagline, parties like BJP and Congress use others too, in order to supplement the main campaign. So, the BJP talks about '400 paar' and 'Modi ki Guarantee' while the Congress is highlighting its 'Nyay' and guarantee schemes with 'Ghar Ghar Guarantee'.

Other parties are not behind. AAP, which is known to run high-voltage campaigns, sought to weaponise the jailing of its supremo Arvind Kejriwal with a catchline 'Jail Ka Jawab Vote Se'. Earlier in the Assembly elections, it ran a successful campaign 'Paanch Saal Kejriwal' (Five Years for Kejriwal).

After facing the first election after splitting with his uncle Sharad Pawar and taking control of the NCP, Ajit Pawar’s party now says they would give a 'New Hope, New Direction' while Mehbooba Mufti-led PDP says it is 'Guarding Identities, Preserving Futures'.

The 2019 poll saw the BJP running Modi’s re-election campaign on 'Namumkin ab Mumkin hai' (Impossible has now become possible) and 'Main Bhi Chowkidar' (I am also a watchman) while Congress highlighted 'Ab Hoga Nyay' (Now, there will be justice).

In 2014, BJP came up with 'Ab ki Baar, Modi Sarkar' (This time, Modi government) while Congress countered the opponent’s personality-centric campaign with 'Main Nahi, Hum' (Not Me, But Us) and 'Har Haath Shakti, Har Haath Tarakki' (Power in Every Hand, Progress for Everyone).

Taglines are not a new phenomenon. In 1967, Jan Sangh sought votes with a catchline: 'Jan Sangh ko Vote Doh, Beedi Peena Chhod Doh. Beedi mein Tambaku hai Congress-wala Daaku hai' (Vote for Jan Sangh, Stop smoking. Bidi has tobacco, Congressmen are dacoits). While the catchline spread like fire, the Jan Sangh did not get many votes though.

If Lal Bahadur Shastri coined the 'Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan', the turbulent 1960s saw Indira Gandhi taking on her inner-party rivals and she turning the tables on her detractors saying “they say Indira Hatao (oust Indira), I say Garibi Hatao (remove poverty)”. 'Garibi Hatao' remains a poll slogan even now.

Indira dominated the slogans in the 1970s and till mid-1980s on both sides of the political aisle. A counter to Dev Kanth Baruah’s ‘India is Indira, Indira is India’ slogan came in the 1977 elections when the Janata Party called for 'Indira Hatao, Desh Bachao' (Remove Indira, Save India).

Fighting the 1978 bypolls in Karnataka’s Chikmagalur, she was welcomed with slogans 'Ek Sherni, Sau Langoor, Chikmagalur, bhai, Chikmagalur' (One Lioness, 100 baboons. This Chikmagalur, brother, Chikmagalur) resonated the Karnataka seat. For the catch-line, many credit poet Srikanth Verma while some point towards Congress leader Devaraj Urs.

Indira’s assassination saw an emotional pitch in 1984 when Congress coined 'Jab tak suraj, chand rahega, Indira tera naam rahega' (Till sun and moon remain, Indira, you will remain immortal). In 1989 Congress came up with 'Give Unity A Hand' and 'My Heart Beats for India' but voters weren’t convinced.

Another peppy one was in 1993 when Samajwadi Party and BSP came together in Uttar Pradesh after the Babri Masjid demolition: 'Mile Mulayam-Kanshiram, hawa ho gaye Jai Sri Ram' (Mulayam-Kanshiram have come together, Jai Sri Ram has blown over).

In 1996 when P V Narasimha Rao sought re-election, BJP came up with 'Bari Bari Sabki Bari, Abki Bari Atal Bihari' (Everybody will get their chance. Now, it’s Atal Bihari turn). Rao’s return fire was 'Jaat par na pat par, mohar lagegi haath par' (Vote not on caste or creed, Vote on Hand).

If 1996 did not bring much luck, 1999 saw the BJP coining 'Jancha, Parkha, Khara' (Tried, Tested, Trusted) and this time BJP ruled for five years. But 'India Shining' in 2004 was crushed under 'Congress ka haath, Aam Aadmi ke Saath' (Congress' Hand with Common Man).

BSP once used, 'chalega haathi, udega dhool, na rahega haath, na rahega phool' (When Elephant runs, neither Hand nor Lotus will remain). Trinamool Congress coined Maa, Maati, Maanush (Mother, Motherland, People) in 2009 West Bengal polls.