What an idea Sirji!

Activist-turned-politician C V Giddappa has recreated a scene straight out of the Idea mobile ad featuring Abhishek Bachchan. He has asked people if he can contest elections and has asked them to SMS him Yes or No.

Giddappa is better known as the founder of Credit card Holders Association of India, which strives to protect credit card holders from the tactics of banks and recovery agents. He is now planning to contest the parliamentary elections as an independent from the Bangalore Central constituency.

Before deciding on this, he placed advertisements in regional newspapers, asking people's opinion. He gave his cell phone number and asked people to SMS Yes if they wanted him to contest elections and a No if they don't want him to. "I received over a thousand SMSes, of which 90 per cent said Yes and 10 per cent said no," he told MiD DAY.

Say yes or no

Giddappa called those people who said 'No' and asked the reason. "They told me that I was doing social service by helping credit card holders. So it was best I kept out of politics. Some said that I would not be able to give enough time to the credit card cause. Some said that I would lose very heavily and undergo a lot of loss," he said.

Giddappa has a rebuttal for them and says he would be able to help credit card holders more. "Now as an advocate I have to attend court and so I am able to give only three hours of my time. If I become a MP I would be able to give over 12 hours towards the cause," he said.

Giddappa feels that if he loses elections, it would not matter much. "I am not spending much money on campaigning unlike national parties who spend in crores. I have printed pamphlets and our volunteers will distribute them from door to door. I am not asking people to follow me and join me in campaigning. I am only asking them to spare half an hour of their time on the polling day and to come and vote. When I am not putting anything at stake, there is nothing to lose," he said.

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Optimistic

He is however optimistic and has pinned hopes on his family and people who he has helped with credit card problems and recovery agents.

"Our association has about 25,000 members. My family itself has two lakh members. We were a few families who migrated from Andhra Pradesh. Now these families have grown large. At least these votes are only for me," he said.

He says he did not opt for national parties because of the money they spend on elections. "Just to get a ticket from any of the parties, I have to pay in lakhs, then to campaign I have to spend in crores. Because of this I will then have to recover the spent money too," he said.

If you want Giddappa to contest elections SMS Yes, if not No. Send the messages to his cell phone 9341261962.

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