Dhartipakad’s next targets Modi, Kejriwal

He fought to lose 184 elections. But that has not stopped Nagarmal Bajoria from contesting yet again, this time against BJP’s Narendra Modi and Aam Admi Party’s Arvind Kejriwal in Varanasi.

Bajoria, 87, is better known as Dhartipakad, which means ‘one who clings on’. He is the most resilient among three impulsive poll contestants with the same nickname. The other two were Kaka Joginder Singh from Delhi and Mohan Lal, a cloth merchant from Bhopal.

A social worker from Bhagalpur, Bajoria has been living in Patna for some time now. Not content with challenging Modi, he has also decided to face BJP stalwart Murli Manohar Joshi in Kanpur.

“How many votes I get is immaterial. But I try to see that I get sufficient votes so that I do not forfeit my security deposit,” he told HT.

Bajoria refused to accept he had never won a poll. “Do not go by figures. My ability to make the electorate aware of my objectives shows I have never lost any election in the past nor will I lose in future,” he said.

His objective is sensitising the electorate on the need to put the reigns of the country in the hands of businessmen. “Only members of the business community can ensure better economic development,” he said.

Bajoria has revived his old slogan ‘Ek Bihari sab par bhaari’ to take on Modi, Kejriwal and Joshi. And as in the past, donkeys would accompany him to the returning officer’s office for filing nomination papers.

“The donkeys that accompany me are symbolic of political leaders who fool the people with false promises,” he said, adding his supporters in Kanpur and Varanasi have organised donkeys for him.

Bajoria contested assembly, parliamentary and presidential elections in the past. His opponents included former prime ministers Indira Gandhi, VP Singh and Rajiv Gandhi.