Modi-fied Holi

Just after 7 p m on Friday, a Business Standard journalist received a call from Narendra Modi, wishing him Happy Holi in chaste Hindi. He surely wasn't the only one to receive such a call since the number on the screen was of the type usually associated with call centres. The voice was unmistakably that of the Bharatiya Janata Party's prime ministerial candidate - or that of a very good mimic - evoking memories of calls made in the run-up to the 2004 general election by the then prime minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee (again, it could have been a mimic). "Hello, main Narendra Modi bol raha hoon," the caller declared, with far more elan than Mr Vajpayee had begun his pitch 10 years ago. More such calls can no doubt be expected from the publicity-savvy Mr Modi as the elections approach closer.'