‘Modi mania’ at Delhi rally

BBC Online :
The man who may be India’s next prime minister didn’t live up to his reputation for punctuality, showing up more than an hour late for his first major rally in Delhi.
But the crowd wasn’t bothered at all. “Modi mania” had already taken hold, expertly managed by his party workers in a now practised routine.
Warm-up speakers had been keeping the mood bubbling over a powerful tannoy system, with the most eager supporters in the audience taking it in turns to lead chants of “Modi-ji” (Modi-dear).
Many people had been brought in hours earlier to ensure a good turnout, the fleet of buses parked outside ready to take them home.
His party workers had handed out hundreds of paper face-masks, so Narendra Modi’s determined and slightly unnerving middle distance stare was already there.
As night came, stadium-style lights lit up a sea of cheering faces – most of them men – draped in the green and saffron colours of the BJP. Cameras on cranes swooped overhead and with several large LED screens placed around the venue, it looked more like a rock concert than a political rally.
Modi supporters at Delhi rally, 26 March 2014
It was the big attraction of the night in this poor rundown Delhi suburb, with scores of children pushing to join the crowd.
There was an impressive security presence. Delhi police had armed officers posted on every half-built rooftop overlooking the venue as well as searching everybody coming in.