Lok Sabha elections have started in India. Apart from this, the first phase of voting was held for 102 seats on 19 April. It was about 60 percent. Campaigners hold many public meetings to appeal for votes. Also, the candidates are going door to door and appealing to vote in their favor. A similar incident had happened with former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi during the election campaign of 1980.
People are excited to see a glimpse of Indira Gandhi
Indira Gandhi was campaigning in Padrauna, Kushinagar, Uttar Pradesh. He had to hold a public meeting at Udit Narayan Inter College, Padrauna. At that time people were excited to get a glimpse of Indira Gandhi. Therefore, even before the time of his meeting, a crowd of people was waiting for him. The time of the meeting was 3 pm but Indira Gandhi could not reach there on time.
Indira Gandhi reached the meeting venue in a punctured jeep.
Before addressing the public meeting during the campaign, Indira Gandhi's convoy reached Padrauna three and a half hours late than the scheduled time i.e. at 6.30 pm. Where Congress candidate CPN Singh made him sit in an open jeep and he himself was driving the jeep. When Indira Gandhi was standing in an open jeep greeting people, the rear wheel of her jeep got punctured, but CPN Singh kept moving ahead. But when Indira Gandhi's convoy reached the college, it was dark.
As soon as Indira's speech started Gul was struck by lightning
When Indira Gandhi reached the stage facing a huge crowd, the college campus echoed with slogans of 'Indira Gandhi Zindabad'. In such a situation, when Indira Gandhi greeted the public and started giving a speech, within a few minutes the power went out and despite efforts the generator did not start. So Indira Gandhi's security personnel illuminated the stage with torches and Indira Gandhi gave a speech in the torchlight.
Indira Gandhi gave a 15-minute speech in torchlight and people listened to the speech attentively even in the dark. Even after the speech was over, there was no electricity but people expressed their respect towards Indira Gandhi by raising slogans of Indira Gandhi Zindabad. Then the result day came and Indira Gandhi won the election from CPN.
Opposition leaders were also present to give speeches
In the 1980s, opposition leaders also used to reach meeting places to listen to speeches. Former Union Minister of State for Home RPN Singh had also once said that at the time of Indira Gandhi's public meeting, he was studying in junior class in Delhi but at that time he was in Padrauna. He also confirmed that despite the power failure, people did not move from their places.
A similar incident happened in Burhanpur, Madhya Pradesh during the 1980 Lok Sabha elections. Indira Gandhi addressed a public meeting by torchlight at 2 o'clock in the night in Bodarli village of Burhanpur. He also campaigned in support of Congress candidate Thakur Shivkumar Singh from Khandwa Lok Sabha constituency. At that time Indira Gandhi stayed at his house for 3 days. He campaigned for Shiv Kumar Singh in Burhanpur, Nepanagar and Khandwa areas in an open jeep for three days. At that time lakhs of people used to gather to get a glimpse of him and listen to him.