NaMo tea stalls: How the BJP is trying to promote Modi in Bihar

Patna: To highlight BJP prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi’s humble background, a campaign has been launched by some party leaders to name roadside tea stalls here as “NaMO tea stall”. “Many owners of roadside tea shops came to us and said they feel proud that Narendra Modi used to sell tea in trains in his childhood and has risen to such a height that he has been named as BJP’s PM candidate. They expressed solidarity with him,” BJP legislator from Bankipore in Patna Nitin Navin told PTI. He said honouring the tea vendors’ sentiments, the party leaders have been visiting the ‘NaMO tea stalls’ and pasting posters of Modi with his slogan of new India. [caption id=“attachment_1150447” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  The BJP’s trying to promote Modi’s upcoming rally in Bihar. Representational image. AP image[/caption] Navin, who along with party MLA from neighbouring Kumhrar assembly constituency Arun Kumar Sinha is popularising the concept, said so far they have visited 21 such tea stalls. “We plan to visit about 400 such tea stalls before BJP’s Hoonkar rally here on October 27 which will be addressed by Narendra Modi,” he said. This is part of the party’s efforts to mobilise people for the rally at Gandhi maidan, the first major political address by Narendra Modi in his rival Nitish Kumar’s home turf. The two BJP MLAs said the tea stall owners irrespective of caste affiliation were excited with the concept and had thanked them for the campaign. Bhola Rai, a tea vendor at Mandiri area, said his sale had increased after naming the stall after Narendra Modi. PTI