By Maya Palit
With the Punjab legislative assembly elections approaching fast, the public is speculating about Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) doing brilliantly. And like all elections, this one is bound to see some odd campaigns.
But yesterday, a bizarre video was tweeted by party members. It has four Norwegian girls lobbying for AAP on behalf of the Oslo-based section of the party, AAP Norway. “If you want the change in Poon-jab, please vote up”, they say.
In the video they look like they’re having a bit of a laugh and good fun while telling people to vote for the party on 4th February. Fair enough, if a little random, as you get no context about the girls and the party’s Norway wing, its members, or its efforts.
But the coverage of this video in an article by the Financial Express has congratulated AAP on featuring the “adorable” girls and bringing in “unique dimensions” to its campaign. It even ends by recommending that Kejriwal “call up some more Norwegian reinforcements”. Nevermind that the party’s symbol is that of a broom — somewhat less bizarre if you consider symbols like the toothbrush, a stethoscope or a sewing machine, all of which make up India’s strange world of politics.
But even if the Financial Express is not seriously implying that AAP needs cute girls from a Scandinavian country to promote the party and ensure a defeat of the Congress, it’s more than a bit off. If AAP does want to harness all the support it can from its members sitting in Oslo, there must be less irritating ways to do it, methods that wouldn’t get local newspapers gushing about endearing young girls.