Amid reports of candidates spending lakhs of rupees to lure voters in the gram panchayat elections, a few candidates have stood out by winning without distributing gifts, cash, or liquor.
Among them is 28-year-old Naveen Kumar A.N., of Niduvale in Mudigere taluk. Mr. Naveen decided to contest the election three months ago. After offering prayers to a deity, he took a vow not to wear slippers till the election was over. He chose a pair of slippers as a symbol in the election and campaigned barefoot. To popularise his symbol, he pinned a specially made slipper of small size to his sling bag, which he carried during the campaign. He has now won by securing 496 of the total of 952 votes polled. “I am thankful to the people who elected me. I did not spend even one rupee to lure voters during the campaign,” he told The Hindu.
Vasudeva, a postgraduate and district president of the Democratic Youth Federation of India, has won from Kalkere GP in Channarayapatna with a margin of 252 votes. Two of his friends, who contested for other seats in the village, have also won by following the same example. “We resolved to set an example and succeeded. The villagers also cooperated with us,” Mr. Vasudeva said.
All six candidates contesting for two seats of Honnetalu in Thirthahalli had taken an oath in a temple, in the presence of villagers, that no one would distribute liquor or cash to lure voters. In fact, they all campaigned together, setting aside the fact that they were rivals. After the counting of votes on Wednesday, Manjunath and Geetha Dinesh Poojary won and the defeated candidates were the first to congratulate them. Ms. Poojary visited the house of her opponent Jayashree Nityanand and took the blessings of elders.
All eight candidates contesting for two seats of Haralimath of Harogolige GP in Thirthahalli also had taken an oath not to lure voters. They campaigned together without spending money, and Indira Shivanna and H.A. Maiddin were elected. The defeated candidates have assured their support to the winners.
