Chandni Chowk Chaiwala to Contest LS Polls

Rajeev Ranjan Dwivedi
New Delhi:
It may not be a cup of tea for others, but contesting elections for 14 times in a row without garnering much support did not deter a Chaiwala in Chandni Chowk from projecting his candidature yet again during the coming Lok Sabha polls.
For tea stall owner Balram Bari, contesting elections has been a 'passion' and it bestows on him the task of helping nearly 150 galiwalas who mostly vote for him.
The 43-year-old has contested 14 polls so far beginning with the 1989 Lok Sabha election when he pitted himself against JP Aggarwal, now the Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee (DPCC) chief.
Since then there had been no looking back for Bari who had tried his luck in every polls - from contesting Municipal elections to Assembly ones besides the Lok Sabha polls.
"I first contested the 1989 Lok Sabha elections against Congress' JP Aggarwal. The upcoming polls would be my 15th venture into politics," he says.
Politics is not new for this tea stall owner who began his career as a Congress party worker. "But there is no thanksgiving to the workers, so I quit that job and engaged myself in petty business besides contesting elections."
Politics has changed much these days as only those with money are given tickets," Bari candidly says. Asked whether his livelihood is enough to feed the family and set aside money for the security deposits, he said,
"Owning a tea stall in this lane is not enough to feed your family. So I do some property work also. And for the security deposits, people of the area contribute for me and rest of the amount I take as debt". Bari may not be able to win elections but for Gandhi Gali near Fatehpuri Mosque in Chandni Chowk, he is the hero confronting government officials for solving the basic problems.
"I love to work on the problems that people of the area confront. I regularly help people getting their I-cards. I hope to get their votes. Besides I have got the sever problem solved.
"This time I am confident of a good show as an astrologer has said that I will enjoy raj yog at the age of 43," Bari says, somewhat smugly. Close to Khari Bowli, Bari has been running his tea stall for over 13 years. After he failed in Mathematics in class 10, he left studies.
Asked whether his inimitable moves are supported by his family, he said, "Yes, my three daughters, a son and wife stand behind my every move. Even my mother who died a year ago supported me".