AIMIM play old melody songs through the streets during their campaign

Hyderabad: Hearing an melody from yesteryears wafting through the street? It is most likely that an AIMIM campaign vehicle is passing by playing old-time hits, aimed at evoking nostalgia and also reminding the listener about romance of a kite, the party’s election symbol.

The AIMIM has engaged more than 50 autorickshaws and dozens of two-wheelers, fitted with public address systems, playing old Hindi and Telugu songs, interspersed with a message from party president Asaduddin Owaisi seeking support for AIMIM candidates.

“These songs are very popular,” says Syed Jahangir, a driver of one such autorickshaw. “People keep asking for the song to be played again.”

The most popular is the Mohammad Rafi-Lata Mangeshkar number ‘Chali chali re patang meri chali re…’ from ‘Bhabhi,’ and from the Telugu film ’Abhimanam,’ the Ghantasala-K. Jamuna Rani song ‘Pada padave vayyari gali patamaa..’

The other popular song, played more as a thanksgiving is ‘Ehsan mere dil pe tumhara doston, yeh dil tumhare pyaar ka mara hai doston,’ a Rafi number from ’Gaban’.

Why autorickshaws and two-wheelers? Jahangir, a resident, said only they fit in the narrow bylanes. “It is mostly the elderly, who grew up listening to these songs, who ask for a replay,” he added.

AIMIM supporters got badges of party leaders printed and were seen wearing and distributing to the residents in different localities of Old City.