New Delhi, May 16 (Inditop) The otherwise bustling Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) Ashoka Road office here wore a deserted look Saturday, with both leaders and party workers staying away as election results came in signalling its defeat.
With no crowds to manage, policemen were seen relaxing in the shade and the hawkers waited in vain for their customers. Even mediapersons slowly started drifting away to the Congress office.
“I have heard that there are big celebrations going outside the Congress office at Akbar Road. But here I don’t have anyone to buy my chanas (grams). I am going to Akbar Road (Congress headquarters) for better business,” said 15-year-old street vendor Rambahadur.
Hundreds of party workers who used to throng the BJP office till Friday gave it a miss Saturday.
“Roz to kaam kam nahin hota tha par aaj pata nahi kyon koi nahi aaya hai (Usually the business was not bad, but today there is no one),” said Rakesh Kumar, who sells small laddoos outside the BJP office.
Informed by someone that there was a huge crowd outside the Congress office, he promptly packed his stuff and left.
The stationary shop inside the BJP office, which used to be crowded, was deserted. “Who will buy anything when the party has lost so badly,” said the shop owner, who did not wish to give his name.
Leaving aside the party spokespersons, there was no big leader at the BJP’s national headquarters. Leaders like V.K. Malhotra, Balbir Punj, Siddharth Nath Singh and Ravi Shankar Prasad were busy giving reactions to the media.
Party general secretary Arun Jaitley came for a little while, held a news conference, and promptly left.