NARENDRA MODI,59

GUJARAT CHIEF MINISTER

All in a day’s work: One of the most sought-after campaigners in the BJP, he has lent support to candidates across the country, except Bihar. He likes to finish official work early before taking off for campaigning
Poll diet: Breakfast is usually fresh fruit juice or fruits and at times, upma. Lunch is a chapati or two; he has khichdi or bhakhri or something light for dinner.
Workout: Keeps an hour for yoga or pranayam early in the day.
How many hours does he sleep? Around five during election season.
Health nags: None, but drinks warm water when he has to address a large number of rallies.
Energy boosters: Fresh fruit juice.
Campaign coolers: Water.
What he can’t say no to: Nothing in particular.
What keeps him awake:Has tea but in the morning.
Unwind: Yoga, pranayam and now blogging.
—Suman K. Jha

MULAYAM SINGH YADAV, 69
SAMAJWADI PARTY CHIEF

All in a day’s work: The election season is a relentless one for Mulayam Singh Yadav. Over 14 hours a day are spent campaigning for party candidates, deciding on manifestoes that promise, er, a better non-English future and fixing other poll hassles (read Amar Singh has spoken of his love for ‘elder brother’ Azam again). By 9.30 each morning, Yadav’s aircraft takes off from the Amausi airport in Lucknow and he is flown to four to five election meetings spread across several districts. He is back in the party office by 7 in the evening. His day ends at midnight.
Poll diet: Breakfast is mattha (buttermilk) and besan ki roti. His personal security officer Shiv Kumar carries his provisions on the plane—cold water in two large thermos flasks and a large tiffin box full of puri, sabzi and achaar, enough for at least five to six persons. Puri and achaar are his favourite food this season. Yadav has a soft spot for the milk from the dairy at his residence. The two hearty buffalos and four winsome cows who reside there provide the milk from which is made his buttermilk and ghee. He often does not have time to touch down at a guest house for lunch and has his meals in his aircraft.
What he can’t say no to: When enthusiastic party workers invite him for homemade lunch and sweets, he readily joins in.
Workout: The wrestler of Etawah is a morning person. He wakes up at 4 am and walks briskly for half an hour on the lawns of his bungalow on Vikramaditya Marg, Lucknow. If he has time, he does pranayam for 10 minutes, as taught by Baba Ramdev.
How many hours does he sleep? These days, he barely gets four hours of sleep.
Campaign coolers: Water.
Energy boosters: Sleep.
Health nags: None but he is careful about visiting a dentist once a month. That has been put on hold till after the elections.
Unwind: “Rural folk like me do not need things like tea or coffee to keep awake or to unwind. Sound sleep is all I need,” says Yadav.
—Virendra Nath Bhatt

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