MiD DAY tracks down two of Bangalore's educated hopefuls an engineer who invented a traffic signal device and a credit card activist and finds them connecting with voters in unconventional ways
MiD DAY tracks down two of Bangalore's educated hopefuls an engineer who invented a traffic signal device and a credit card activist and finds them connecting with voters in unconventional ways
Captain Gopinath may be on a roll but that's not how it is for most of the independent candidates.
While Gopinath has over 700 volunteers working for him, 70-year-old retired engineer K S S Iyengar has only three and plans to spend a modest Rs 50,000 for campaigning.
Iyengar, contesting from Bangalore Central, believes his invention will help him get votes. The invention is a traffic signal that alerts pedestrians with a sound when it's time for them to cross the road.
"People came to know of me through the traffic signal and I am sure they will vote for me when they get to know that I am contesting the elections," he said.
Iyengar campaigns with the help of three others. "Every day at 4 am, I put pamphlets into newspapers. On Monday, a friend and I distributed pamphlets near Shivajinagar church. We will distribute Urdu pamphlets near mosques as well," he said.
Iyengar has no office and doesn't even go from door to door, asking for votes. In his manifesto, he promises that two members from each Muslim family will get a state-sponsored pilgrimage to Ajmer every year. "Hindus will be sent for a holy dip in Haridwar every year. Christians and Sikhs can choose where they want to go and the expenses will be borne by the government," he said.
Credit: Goodwill Credit Card Association of India secretary C V Giddappa is also contesting from Bangalore Central. His volunteers are the many credit card holders he has helped. He visits houses and says: "People in slums are happy when I drink coffee with them in their houses. They say that other politicians just walk around the area and give speeches. No one comes to their homes like I do," he said.
Giddappa is advocating wealth donation. "I am asking people to keep just so much wealth that they need for three generations. The extra wealth that they have should be donated to the poor. I have written a letter to President Pratibha Patil but she did not respond," he said.
Deciding poll Giddappa decided to contest the elections after he held an SMS poll. "Ninety per cent of the people said I should contest, so I did. I called the remaining 10 per cent after which they too were convinced that I should contest," he said.
Giddappa believes that he has many unseen voters. "I have been a Canara Bank employee and all the bank employees have promised to vote for me. Besides the credit card holders that I have helped, people of my community too will vote for me," he said.
Au00a0 different storyIn contrast to the other Independent candidates, Capt Gopinath's house which also doubles as his campaign office is decorated with colorful kites his party symbol.
The office has youngsters working for the campaign from as early as 6 am till late night.u00a0 "Each of us has have been given a different task and we stick to it. My friends and I have to go door-to-door and campaign. I enjoy working here," said Shreyas, a student.
In between work, there is constant supply of coffee and snacks. The office, with computers and boards, also serves as a call centre. Besides managing Capt Gopinath's website and sending mails, volunteers are addressed here.
