Bangalore: Celebrations erupted in various parts of Bangalore even before the appointed hour of the swearing-in of Narendra Modi as Prime Minister on Monday.
A sizable crowd of BJP workers and party functionaries had gathered outside the party headquarters in Malleswaram by 5 pm itself. Donning saffron caps and Modi mask, the workers danced to the beats of drums. A huge LED screen had been installed in front of the office which beamed live television footage of the swearing- in ceremony.
Two NaMo tea stalls had been set up at the nearby office. Some of the party cadre wore Modi masks and soon became the centre of attraction in the crowd and for the cameramen and photographers from the media. The masks has crafted to perfection and resembled Modi to near perfection.
There was much excitement in the air and the crowd swelled by the minute. Women workers in colourful sarees held hands and danced without missing a beat.
The crowd waited for Modi to make his appearance at Rastrapathi Bhavan, the venue of the swearing-in ceremony. Each time the television screen showed black Cadillacs or BMWs arriving at the venue, the crowd cheered thinking Modi would emerge from the car. However, it turned out to be one of the SAARC leaders.
When Modi got down from his trademark Scorpio, the cheers from the crowd hit a crescendo. Many in the crowd surged forward to touch the screen. Chants of “Modi..Modi…Modi..” rent the air.
The minutes ticked by and there was sudden silence when Modi was invited to the dais to take the oath. Then, nothing could be heard in the din as the crowd burst into a frenzy. The sound crackers bursting did not stop for the next half hour. Party workers distributed ‘jalebis’ to the crowd. For the more hungry, kesari bath was served inside the party office.
A few BJP workers got nostalgic. “It is a defining and historic moment for us. We have waited for several decades for the moment,” said Sacchidananda, a party worker. He recalled the sacrifices of party sympathisers and their contribution in the BJP coming to power on its own at the Centre. He said that Modi had proved that even an ordinary worker can become the prime minister.
The women among the crowd cheered when Sushma Swaraj and Uma Bharati took oath. The crowd cheered when Ananth Kumar and D V Sadananda Gowda took oath but it was no match to the adulation received by Modi.
Celebrations on a much lower scale were held at Basavanagudi, Mysore Bank Circle, Chickpet, Vijayanagar, Rajajinagar among other places.
