Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (MM/NR)

Mangalore, Sep 23: With only five days remaining for the Mangalore City Corporation elections,  no doubt, the candidates are busy trying to please the voters. Most of the voters are busy with their work on weekdays, with weekly off on Sundays. The candidates have therefore found Sunday to be a suitable day for campaigning purpose.

Even college students are busy canvassing for the candidates in the election fray since Sunday happens to be a day of break for them. However the candidates here are restless, as the MCC election D-day is drawing nearer. Most of the candidates have been planning to utilize Sunday fruitfully for the past several days. Everywhere one can see hundreds of such canvassers on the road seeking votes for their respective candidates.

The Congress party which led the MCC for past five years and BJP which played the role of opposition, at this point in time are the facing each other as opponents and vying for the same posts too in the corporation. The JD (S) is also contesting in many wards of the MCC. But political analysts do not seem to take JD(S) too seriously this time. 

On the other hand, CPI (M) is doing its best to grab some seats in this election. It is laying it bets on the unorganized labour. As a result, everywhere one finds bidi workers and labourers from other unorganized sectors busy canvassing for votes for CPI (M) on Sunday. Out of the total 60 wards, CPI (M) is contesting only in 5 wards this time. The CPI is contesting in one ward, with the support of the Congress.

There are experienced candidates too contesting, both from Congress and BJP. For instance, Krishna Mendon, who is contesting from the Alape ward, has an experience of 24 years in the City Corporation. On the other hand, Shanker Bhat contesting from 23rd Derebail ward is the experienced person for BJP contesting for the City Corporation. He has represented the BJP for 15 years now.

There is a long list of youngsters too. Denis D’Silva, a MCom graduate contesting for the MCC election,for the first time, is the youngest candidate from the Congress side. He is contesting from the Kankanady B ward. On the other side is Navinchandra, an MCom degree holder, as the youngest candidate from the BJP side. Navinchandra has already enjoyed the post of corporator for 5 years.

Interestingly, one aspect which stands out in this campaign is that whether the candidates are old or young, youth are the trump card in this campaign trail, as it happens every time. Youth were found in every ward enthusiastically posting banners, distributing handbills and seeking votes for their candidates. On the other hand, congenial weather conditions added to the enthusiasm of the candidates and the campaigners to continue their mission of seeking votes.