FOR ONCE, SHASHI THAROOR IS ATA LOSS FOR WORDS. ASKED WHAT HE CALLS the burgundy red election vahanam (vehicle) he is perched precariously atop during a drive-through campaign rally in the heart of Thiruvananthapuram, he pauses and then laughs. "It's a pick-up truck that gives me a chair and enough space for a couple of colleagues so that we can wave to the public as we drive by." It's hot and humid in Kerala's capital city and all that protects Tharoor from the sun and rain is a makeshift tarpaulin over his head and a compact airconditioner next to his perch. Having won three consecutive Lok Sabha elections for the Thiruvananthapuram constituency on a Congress ticket, Tharoor, 68, is a veteran at campaigning. He waves furiously to pedestrians, passing and stationary vehicles and curious shopkeepers, his face lighting up with a charming smile as the breeze tousles his silvery-grey mane. His pilot van has a band of percussionists belting out drum rolls to herald his arrival, while another van blasts songs in his praise on repeat. Unlike in 2019, when Tharoor breezed through his re-election to the seat with a high margin of votes, this time round, he is feeling the heat of the battle and is being made to toil harder.
Esta historia es de la edición April 22, 2024 de India Today.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 8500 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor ? Conectar
Esta historia es de la edición April 22, 2024 de India Today.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 8500 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor? Conectar
The Politics Of Reservation
Caste Quotas Have Become The Most Fractious And Polarising Issue In Election 2024, With The Potential To Influence The Final Outcome
BACK IN ACTION
Besides making a thrilling comeback with Tipppsy, Deepak Tijori is working on pushing the boundaries with new projects
THE POWER OF PATIENCE
A steady approach has helped badminton player Lakshya Sen secure a spot in the upcoming Paris Olympics
Great Balls of Fire
The sport of PICKLEBALL is set to get a boost in India with the launch of the World Pickleball League here
Man of Many Ideas
Vanya Vaidehi Bhargav questions simplistic notions of Lala Lajpat Rai's politics in this well-researched book
THE HINDU NATIONALIST
Janaki Bakhle's Savarkar and the Making of Hindutva is a deep dive into the creation of the ideologue
LOVE CONQUERS
IKKA's third album Only Love Gets Reply brings together bigwigs like Diljit Dosanjh, Badshah and Karan Aujla, among others
The Great Indian Village
Everyone's favourite OTT show, Panchayat, is back for a third season on Amazon Prime Video. Expect a lot of laughs
VISUAL CONSTRUCTS
CLASSICS OF MODERN SOUTH ASIAN ARCHITECTURE ARE PORTRAYED IN THESE VOLUMES
TROPICAL TROPES
Tropical Modernism, an exhibition at the V&A, London, looks at the adoption of this architectural style in post-independence India and Ghana