JOIN USCirca 2010. One look at the line-up of candidates for the Taluk Panchayat elections in the district and you would beg to differ.
There are instances of candidates with the same name or similar names contesting from different parties and as independents and this is sure to send voters in a tizzy, unless they are a little discerning. In Alur constituency of Davangere taluk, Sunanda is the Congress candidate, but her namesake suffixed with an ‘amma’ is the BJP candidate. Doggalli Revanasiddappa is the Congress candidate from Doddabaati. B Revanasiddappa is an Independent candidate in the same seat.
Sowbhagyamma is the BJP candidate in Hebbal constituency and another Sowbhagyamma is in the fray as an independent. The former hopes that the latter does not take her for a ride in the bullock cart (the independent candidate’s election symbol).
While some believe that all this is sheer coincidence, there are doubting Thomases looking for a conspiracy theory in namesakes being fielded for the elections. It is a simple tool to hoodwink voters, so that it benefits a particular candidate, said the workers of a certain political party.
Assortment of symbols
One more colourful aspect of the local body polls in the district is that the independent candidates have been allotted an assortment of symbols.
While most of the candidates contesting as independents have been given the ‘rising sun’ symbol, there are candidates who have got a bus, bell, bulb, jeep, cycle and conch among other things as symbols.