2019 general election fever is underway, and you bet that the world’s largest festival of democracy has its fair share of political music too! So, here are some of the songs that political parties across the spectrum are getting their supporters to groove to.
Remember, the only kind of notes that the Election Commission allows parties to distribute – musical notes!
CPI(M) Ki Lalkaar, Abki Baar BJP Ki Haar
The CPI(M)’s dominance may have receded in its bastions of West Bengal and Tripura, and left the party with only Kerala to rule, but this song released by the Left sure packs a punch (for the BJP).
Achhe din ka waada lekar bhai Narendra aaye the
15 lakh aur rozgaar ke sapne sab ko dikhaaye the
Naukriyon ko bhool gaye, bas karte rahe prachaar
Hai yeh CPI(M) ki lalkaar, abki baar Modi berozgaar!
(With the promise of achhe din, brother Narendra arrived
Spun dreams of 15 lakhs and jobs in our eyes
The jobs he forgot, staying in campaign mode
Let’s make Modi jobless now, this is CPI(M)’s ode!)
Ravali Jagan Kavali Jagan: YSRC Anthem Crosses 10 Million Views on YouTube
Another catchy tune this election season is Jagan Mohan Reddy’s anthem in Andhra Pradesh. The music video made by IPAC, the Prashant Kishor-affiliated political consultancy that is working on the YSRC campaign, has garnered more than 10 million views on YouTube already!
‘No More Trinamool’: BJP’s Poll Song for Bengal in EC Controversy
Babul Supriyo, Bollywood singer and BJP MP from Asansol, lent his voice to a song criticising West Bengal CM and Trinamool chief Mamata Banerjee. The TMC was up in arms soon after the song’s release, complaining to the Election Commission that the allegations of corruption made against the party were defamatory.
The EC issued a show cause notice to Supriyo, BJP’s Asansol candidate, for releasing the song without getting it approved by the poll panel. The BJP later submitted the lyrics to the EC’s Media Certification and Monitoring Committee (MCMC) for approval, but the party was reportedly denied permission.
(Given the EC’s current stand disallowing the song, we are not sharing the link to Supriyo’s song in this article.)
‘Banda Apna Sahi Hai’: BJP’s Modi Song
These are the lyrics with which the song, posted by the BJP’s official Youtube account, begins.
Kisne badla hai yeh desh ko chalane ka tareeka?
Kisne hausla badhaya ho ek aam aadmi ka?
Kisne tez daudna sikhaya Hindustaniyo ko?
Kisne duniya bhar mein sar uthaya Hindustaniyo ka?
(Who has changed the way this country is run?
Who has raised the confidence of the common man?
Who has taught Indians how to run?
Who makes us proud across the world?)
Well, waiting till 23 May is the only way we’ll know for sure if the nation shares the same enthusiasm about the banda in question!
Actor-Politician Pawan Kalyan’s ‘Pada Pada’
Written by Telugu lyricist Ramajogayya Sastry, ‘Pada Pada’ is Jana Sena chief and actor Pawan Kalyan’s political anthem, and it’s got quite the beat! The party may be jostling for space in Andhra’s political equation, with Jagan Mohan Reddy’s YSRC and Chandrababu Naidu’s TDP closing in on Kalyan’s Kapu caste votebank from either end, but hey, the song’s still just as catchy.
Divided by Parties, United by Gully Boy
It’s not every year that a Bollywood product that speaks volumes about the injustices in our society becomes the go-to album for our biggest political parties to take potshots at each other. But then, not every year is general election year.
Special Mention: Aisi Taisi Democracy’s Chunaav Ka Mahina
Well, this is by no means an exhaustive list of all the poll songs out there this election season. So, comment below with your favourites, even if they haven’t made it to this list.
To end our list though, here’s the election song that isn’t by any of the political parties, but by a comedy collective quite happy to roast them all! Here’s ‘Chunaav Ka Mahina’ by Aisi Taisi Democracy’s Rahul Ram.
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