Thaindian News

New Delhi, July 22 (IANS) Boxes of sweets, bouquets of exotic flowers and drumbeats - celebrations began at UPA presidential candidate Pranab Mukherjee’s residence here Sunday even before the result was declared.

Leaders of the Congress party, its allies and friends and relatives of Mukherjee thronged House No. 13 on Talkatora Road to congratulate the leader.

People also danced to drumbeats and distributed sweets among themselves.

From party workers to state chief ministers, the visitors began pouring in since morning and the numbers increased as the day passed.

Among the first to arrive at the house was Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot.

“He (Mukherjee) will surely be missed (as the party’s trouble-shooter) by the Congress and the UPA as well as the nation,” Gehlot told reporters.

Agreed Congress leader Ajit Jogi: “Wherever he (Mukherjee) goes, he leaves his mark and the post of president will be no different.”

The popularity of Mukherjee amongst his followers could be gauged by the fact that cars filled with flowers and sweets, mostly from Bengali shops nearby, kept arriving at the house regularly.

“‘Dada’ loves Bengali sweets. So I have brought lots of ‘rosogollas’ and ‘chamchams’,” said Congress worker Anil Biswas.

Mahendra Kumar Dhanak, a bandmaster, had come all the way from Meerut in Uttar Pradesh to congratulate Mukherjee in anticipation of his victory.

However, the 65-year-old could not hold back for long and after for some hours began celebrating some yards away from the house.

“I know dada will win. We can’t wait anymore,” Dhanak told IANS as he merrily played the trumpet and danced.

Meanwhile, All India Congress Committee member Gurmeet Singh Sethi, who bears a startling resemblance to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in looks, style and mannerisms, caused a flutter yet again among security personnel.

Though no one was allowed to enter the bungalow without a thorough check, Singh casually strolled inside as perplexed security personnel looked on.

The Delhi Police traffic personnel however had a harrowing time as several media vans and media personnel swarmed Mukherjee’s house.

Many motorists slowed down, curious to catch a glimpse while some clicked pictures of the festivity on their mobiles.

All this while, traffic constables on foot frantically blew their whistles. Tow trucks blared out warnings on the public address systems ordering the onlookers to keep moving.