Mansoor Ali Khan makes a splash on Bengaluru’s streets

Bengaluru: Men in white proudly sported Congress symbols as they marched through the bustling streets of the city's central parts on Friday.

Supporters of Mansoor Ali Khan, the candidate for the Bangalore Central constituency for the Lok Sabha elections, sauntered through Gandhinagar, canvassing in a quieter-than-before manner.

State Health Minister and local MLA Dinesh Gundu Rao joined the campaign convoy that passed through Dattatreya ward, Mysore Bank Circle and Seshadripuram, where the candidate interacted with vendors, residents and apartment owners.

Wearing a white polo T-shirt adorned with the words 'Bengaluru Central: Heart of Namma Ooru' alongside the Congress party symbol, Khan kicked off his campaign early on Friday, engaging with residents during their morning walk at Tilak Memorial Park in Chikka Lalbagh.

Making his way through the streets on foot, the educator drew crowds towards him, creating curiosity among many who encountered a new face in their neighbourhood.

At Sangeetha Apartments near Mahakavi Kuvempu Road, one of the oldest complexes in the area, several long-time residents listened intently to his campaign.

While Rao urged voters to look at Congress’ work across the state, Khan, who fielded several questions on what he would do for the constituency, assured residents that he would represent their voice in Parliament.

"As an MP, I will be involved in local issues and act as a bridge between the central government and local residents. This means, I will ensure funds come for projects on time. If Karnataka and Bengaluru are strong, India will be strong."

Many people were overjoyed seeing Khan and the fact that he was accessible during his campaign. But they were also a tad bitter that the incumbent PC Mohan had barely visited them during the last 15 years of being their representative.

An enthusiastic bunch, however, assured Khan, “We will vote for you, that is our promise.”

The roaring SUVs carried the duo towards Majestic’s Annamma Devi temple, where they paid respects, before praying at the Dargah across the street. Meanwhile, on the streets, party workers distributed posters in Khan's support.

Earlier this week, the Congress candidate visited apartment buildings and held public rallies in CV Raman Nagar, Indiranagar, Ulsoor, Chamarajpet, and Rajajinagar, where Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his deputy DK Shivakumar also joined him in some places.

On social media  

Using the hashtag #MansoorForBengaluruCentral, legislators like Rizwan Arshad and BZ Zameer Ahmed Khan expressed support to the candidate, posting snippets of Mansoor Ali Khan’s speeches to woo voters.