UPP candidates hold innovative campaigns in Dharwad

HUBBALLI: Uttama Prajakeeya Party floated by actor-director Upendra is also fielding its candidates in the assembly election in Dharwad district. Two candidates - one from Hubballi-Dharwd Central and Hubballi-Dharwad-74 constituencies are using different campaign strategies to attract voters. While one candidate is campaigning in an innovative way, the other is wholly depending on social media to reach out to voters.
Ishtalinga, an MSc graduate contesting from Hubballi-Dharwad Central has caught the attention of people by seeking their support by covering his face with a rectangular shape mirror. He travels in buses, visits parks, and other places to meet people while covering his face with a mirror and hands over the party’s manifesto to voters.
Ishtalinga told TOI, “My intention is to seek votes from people for the good works and our party’s intentions and ideas rather than voting the candidate based on his or her caste, creed and religion. I am covering my face with a tinted mirror glass cover and people whom I approach can’t see my face. My intention is clear, without seeing the face of the candidate; people should vote to elect a good candidate without getting influenced by their antecedents. People should vote as if it is their election and they are the candidate.”
“Our party’s manifesto says the elected candidate will work as per the wish of his constituency’s people. If they want to take up road works first, we will take it up. It is all based on public opinion,” he said. “When people insist on seeing my face, I take off the mirror box but I try my best to avoid it,” he added.
Santosh Nandur, the UPP candidate from Hubballi-Dharwad West-74, said, “I am relying on social media to reach out to people. I have formed various groups with a large number of followers and I will go on live streaming daily to share my ideas and to strike a chord with voters. It is working out now. After a few days, I will again chalk out some innovative campaign plans to reach out to people effectively in my constituency.”