Meet Narendra Modi lookalikes taking spotlight amid Lok Sabha elections 2024
Rashid Ahmed has attended rallies of the BJP as a prime ministerial lookalike, exciting those in the crowd who initially mistook him for the leader.
Electric-rickshaw driver Rashid Ahmed, who is fondly referred to as ‘Modi’ in his Delhi neighbourhood, is one of the many prime ministerial look-alikes featured in BJP campaigns. Living with his wife, children, and grandchildren in a modest two-room home, Ahmed is a local celebrity. Visitors eager to meet him or take pictures with him frequently interrupt him in his daily tasks, Reuters stated in a report. Ahmed is also known as "Modi uncle" to children in his Delhi neighbourhood.
"I have been like this from the beginning, but since Modi has become prime minister, there has been more discussion of it," Reuters quoted Ahmed as saying.
Rashid Ahmed has attended rallies of the Bharatiya Janata Party as a prime ministerial lookalike, exciting those in the crowd who initially mistook him for the leader, the report said. Such events have earned him about 1,000 rupees each. "People do give us money (for the rallies) and we also have to take (it) because we are leaving work," he added.
Speaking about the Prime Minister, Ahmed said, “The prime minister will listen to everyone, the good and the bad ... It is the people lower down who do wrong things and disgrace the party.”
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Another Modi lookalike is Jagdish Bhatia, who operates a real estate business in an upscale area of the capital and belongs to a spiritual sect that is independent of any religion. Speaking about attending the BJP's rallies, Bhatia said he does not accept money for attending them, viewing them as a "social service" because of his appreciation for the PM's vision.
"I really liked the way Modi worked, the things he did for the development of the country… That is why I like to be of some use to the party," Bhatia said.
Bhatia said he enhanced his resemblance to Modi by adopting a similar clothing style.
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Meanwhile, responding to a query about the outcome of the general elections he said, "Only time will tell… We just want that there should be good work ... development should happen on all sides ... everyone should be together."
(With inputs from Reuters)