Inke 80s when we were kids, we were no different either!
Collecting “billas” thrown by the autos, that used to come for campaigning and boasting about the collection. The slogan of 81 election was: बीड़ी पीना छोड़ दो, बीड़ी में तम्बाकू है, इन्दिरा गांधी डाकू है!
My oldest memory of elections is that of 1981 in class 1 after HNB resigned from Garhwal seat & fought against might of Indira Gandhi who threw a challenge to him. My mom was in village, hence I accompanied my father to the final day parade ground rally in his bicycle… thread 👇🏻
The loss in that election right after thumping 80 victory was a watershed moment in the Indian electoral history and contributed a lot to Indira’s transformation- post that loss-into a leader, who began actively disassociating herself from Muslim politics!
Why I call 1981 loss of Indira at the hands of HNB in Garhwal seat a watershed moment because Indira of 1980- who started her election campaign of 1980 from Darul at Deoband - by 1982 starting promoting VHP and even started constructing Bharat Mata Mandir at Haridwar
Every goonda politician worth some clout was in Garhwal campaigning for Indira ; they resorted to massive rigging and that was the first time in post 47 history that @ECISVEEP countermanded entire election and ordered re poll
SL Shakdhar was the EC then and was removed by Indira Gandhi post her loss in Garhwal LS by election. Perhaps, it was that decision to countermand elections, that cost him his job. So no, it was NOT Sheshan who first showed his teeth as EC, it was SL Shakdhar!
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