The entry of leaders from residents’ welfare associations (RWAs) in the city is having its own influence on major political parties in the battle for the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) polls. Thanks to the presence of RWAs, candidates of major political parties are now coming out with separate manifestoes for their wards.
Though candidates from RWAs are yet to pose a major threat to political parties, their presence has certainly had its effect.
“The number of candidates from RWAs is still very small. But wherever they are contesting, we are taking special care in chalking our strategies. I am coming out with my own manifesto charting out the priorities and programmes for my ward,” said BJP candidate for Chickpet, AL Shivakumar.
General Secretary of the Janata Dal (Secular), Milind Dharmasen, said that the party would focus more on house-to-house campaigning.
“Youth and women will be in the forefront of the campaigning. Just the way that RWAs are impressing voters with their simple approach, we too will avoid high voltage campaigning in areas where RWA candidates are posing a real threat,” he said.
BJP city spokesman and candidate from Dattatreya Temple ward S Prakash admitted that there would be a change in the civic poll campaign style compared to what it was eight years ago.
“I too am releasing my own manifesto for my ward. Exams will impede our plans to use students for campaigning. But women and youth will lead the campaign, which will mainly be door-to-door. Separate meetings with prominent community leaders of the area will be arranged. But campaigning will not be shrill and lavish,” Prakash said.
However, RWA representatives are not convinced.
“Money and muscle power will be used liberally. I had a bitter experience when I was on my way to file nomination. Hundreds of supporters of the BJP candidate, Katta Jagadish, who arrived in a long convoy of vehicles, obstructed traffic flow for several hours. It is difficult for us to match them. My campaigning is simple and focuses on local issues and social values. It is difficult to fight the polls without splurging money,” felt NS Ramakanth, RWA candidate contesting from Vasanth Nagar.
However, the RWA candidates still hold a chance of winning in some of the wards.
With growing dissidence within leading political parties and the menace of rebel candidates cutting into the votes of official party candidates in several wards, some RWA candidates have raised hopes that they would indeed emerge victorious.
Comments