They also had separate drawing rooms, attached toilets and visitors' sections. Each VVIP tent had two mini- tents for security personnel too.

The claims of austerity made about the exercise also rang hollow, considering that at least Rs 1 crore was said to have been spent for setting up the tents. In addition to this, a substantial amount was shelled out for transportation. Footing the bills of many delegates who preferred to stay in hotels meant a further escalation in the total expenditure.

Actor- turned- politician Shatrughan Sinha, former party president Rajnath Singh, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj, Chhattisgarh chief minister Raman Singh and MP Navjot Singh Sidhu did not stay in the tents citing " health problems". Former Union minister Maneka Gandhi and her MP son Varun left the venue on the first day of the meet saying they had to reach Delhi to attend to a family member who was to be operated upon the next day.

Some of the party members who visited the health centres at the meeting venue were Balkeshwar ( Mumbai) MLA Mangal Prabhat Loda, Bhartiya Janata Yuva Morcha national general secretary Kasam Venkateshwarlu and Jabalpur ( West) legislator Harenderjeet Singh ( Baboo).

" We received nearly 600 OPD patients mostly suffering from cold, cough, body ache, headache, diarrhoea, high sugar levels and high blood pressure," Dr Madhu Margaret, caretaker of the OPD, said.

Chief organiser and Madhya Pradesh industry minister Kailash Vijaywargiya admitted that several BJP delegates reported sick. He attributed this to a sudden drop in temperature at the venue.

" A special team of doctors and paramedical staff was made available at the camp.

The healthcare centre also had a mini operation theatre for emergency cases," Vijaywargiya said.

But a source revealed that the majority of participants who were unwell complained of gastrointestinal problems and held the food responsible for it. Interestingly, special arrangements had been made to dish out traditional Malwa cuisine which has a sprinkling of Gujarati as well as Rajasthani delicacies.

While the Malwa fare may have been appealing to the taste buds, many a delegate had a tough time digesting it. This translated into brisk sales for the herbal medicine shop situated in a makeshift bazaar at the site.