Pune: The election campaign has become not just a test of stamina, but of diet. Candidates contesting the Pune Municipal Corporation and Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation polls spend long hours doing door-to-door visits, padayatras and back-to-back meetings — and it has completely changed their eating habits.The days of leisurely breakfasts and heavy lunches are long gone. Most candidates now begin their day before sunrise, often with a quick smoothie or a protein shake. Then they head out to meet morning walkers and joggers in public gardens. Their campaign teams double up as nutrition planners as they move from society to society. The core members carry salad boxes, fruit bowls and hydration drinks — along with pamphlets and voters lists!Rahul Kalate, who is contesting from Ward 25 in Pimpri Chinchwad, said, “My day starts at 5.30am with a fruit and protein smoothie. There is no fixed time for meals after that. We keep small salad boxes and roasted nuts in the car to eat in between meetings. I slow down if I eat heavy food and that is the last thing you want during a campaign.”Traditional thalis and fried snacks have been being replaced with wraps, soups and light meals that do not induce sleep or sluggishness during the afternoons, which are usually reserved for planning sessions and reviewing feedback. Campaign offices stock green tea, coconut water and infused water, instead of endless cups of chai.Anil Satav, who is contesting from Ward 3 in Pune, said the shift was dramatic. “Earlier, elections meant tea, biscuits and sweets everywhere. This time, I told my team to keep salads and boiled vegetables ready. You need food that gives energy after walking for hours in the sun and sitting in strategy meetings.”Even the evening rallies and society meetings that stretch late into the night come with their own food routines. Candidates are often seen sipping electrolyte drinks or munching on protein bars as they move from one venue to another. Dinner happens in the car or in a corner of a campaign office for many and it is usually a healthy wrap or a bowl of soup again, instead of a full meal.Jayesh Murkute, who is also in the fray, said the new food culture reflects a larger change in campaigning. “We are on the move for almost 15 hours a day. There is no time to sit and eat properly, so we have adapted. I carry healthy bites like sprouts and paneer cubes, which I can eat quickly and get back to meeting people.”In Wanowrie, where several prominent candidates are locked in close contests, the story is similar. Vaishnavi Kodre, candidate of Ward No 14 in Koregaon Park-Ghorpadi-Mundhwa, said, “I lose two hours if I stop for a heavy lunch. I can keep going from morning walks to late-night society meetings without feeling drained with salads, fruits and hydration drinks.”
