Bearing more resemblance to a wedding procession than a political rally, it started off at the Navlakhi grounds, wound its way through Dandia Bazaar, Raopura, Nyay Mandir and Chowkhandi before culminating at Kirti Mandir.

Led by Vadodara candidate Jayaben Thakkar and Minister for Jails Jaspal Singh, an estimated 15,000 enthusiastic BJP workers from the city and the taluka, on foot and on bullock-carts, beat drums and blew on bugles to highlight Thakkar's achievements in the past 13 months.

Apart from the usual slogans -- Kamal ko vote do and Jayaben tum age badho, hum tumare saath hai -- workers made good use of the tunes of current chartbusters by replacing the lyrics with pro-BJP words.

While former mayor Bharati Vyas urged bystanders and passers-by to exercise their franchise and vote for the right party, Thakkar thanked the party workers for their cooperation. She said she was confident of victory because the people of the city were with her.

Notwithstanding the upbeat mood in the BJP camp, individual party workers complained about the heat. ``It's the wrong time to take out a rally'', said a party worker. ``It's a sunny afternoon, but there are no provisions for first-aid, or even for water. What if someone falls ill or just gets thirsty?'' Added another party worker, ``I'll walk only till Raopura. After that I have to go to work.''

Non-party workers, too, were put out by the rally. Said Mahesh Pandya, an auto-rickshaw driver, ``Rallying and campaigning is all very good, but they don't realise the inconvenience they cause people.''

According to Shanti Vyas, a resident of Dandia Bazaar, the party had chosen the wrong route for the rally. ``It's one of the most congested areas of the city. A rally just adds to the confusion.''