Candidates catch voters outdoors

Sunday witnessed candidates cutting across party lines for the three constituencies in Bangalore drop their conventional way of door-to- door campaigning and utilise the time for meeting community leaders, residents’ welfare groups and interact with party workers.

“We did not want to disturb the people on a holiday. I made the best use of the day by meeting elders and seeking their blessings. I also held meetings with the representatives of residents’ welfare associations, sought to know the problems they are facing in their respective areas and ways of solving them,” said Congress candidate for Bangalore Central Lok Sabha constituency Rizwan Arshad. 

Arshad also attended prayers at Sarvagnanagar Church and participated in a Bangalore City Congress workers’ workshop at Palace Grounds, besides interacting with youths on Commercial Street in the evening.

Former chief minister and BJP candidate for Bangalore North D V Sadananda Gowda started his day early on Sunday. Donning his jogging shoes and a T-shirt, he held discussions with the Walkers’ Association of Dollar’s Colony.

Later in the day, Malleswaram MLA C N Ashwathnarayana had organised a discussion programme with residents at Chowdiah Memorial Hall. The event, organised under the banner ‘Friends of BJP,’ had the audience quiz Gowda on various issues ranging from his plans for the constituency to the foreign affairs policy of the NDA.

Another candidate who caught up with morning joggers was BJP candidate for Bangalore Central and sitting MP, P C Mohan. He interacted with joggers at various parks in Chamarajpet.

Congress Bangalore North candidate C Narayanaswamy attended party meetings and concluded his day participating in a youth Congress meeting at Chamarajpet. BJP Bangalore South candidate H N Ananth Kumar held interaction meetings with residents’ associations in Basavanagudi, Srinagar, Girinagar and Hanumanthanagar.

Kumar’s opponent Nandan Nilekani of the Congress also did not venture out for any door-to-door campaign on Sunday. On Monday, he is holding roadshows in Bommanahalli, Padmanabhanagar and Jayanagar with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and KPCC president G Parameshwara.