M V Rajeev Gowda interacts with voters in Bengaluru on Monday.
Credit: DH Phot/S K Dinesh
Loud and excited energy, mixed with some confusion, characterised the campaign of Congress’ Bangalore North candidate M V Rajeev Gowda in K R Puram on Monday.
Local party workers assembled outside the Battarahalli Anjaneya Temple, eagerly awaiting the former Rajya Sabha MP’s arrival for a scheduled 9 AM roadshow.
Minutes passed, and the crowd of Congress party workers and supporters grew, soon overshadowing the fact that local BJP workers had canvassed for Gowda’s opponent, Shobha Karandlaje, just an hour earlier.
The atmosphere charged up with loud celebrations featuring drums and the Congress party theme song when Gowda arrived, over an hour and a half late, after a public meeting at Seegehalli.
After offering prayers at the temple, Gowda started his campaign on foot, warmly greeting people as the sun beat down on his convoy. Notably, a local leader announced the induction of several former BJP workers into Congress and led the crowd in chanting “Bharat Mata ki Jai.”
Gowda continued his campaign through Battarahalli and T C Palya, engaging with residents and shopkeepers to secure their support, followed by hundreds of workers on foot, in auto-rickshaws, and on motorbikes, all waving Congress flags. Jayalakshmi, a party worker of 20 years, expressed her confidence in Gowda. “He is educated, so we are confident that he will do good work,” she stated.
Meanwhile, a 9-year-old boy named Kowshik, encouraged by his father, a party worker, energetically distributed pamphlets. “I was given a bunch of papers and asked to distribute them. My friends are also doing this today,” he said.
Despite the enthusiasm of longtime party workers convinced of a “Congress wave,” many in the crowd, including residents and other party workers, were unfamiliar with Gowda.
The rally congested traffic on T C Palya Main Road as supporters encouraged onlookers to vote for Gowda.
After the rally, Gowda headed to the Benniganahalli metro station, taking the metro to Vidhana Soudha for a meeting with lawyers. He introduced himself and greeted commuters in each coach, many of whom wished him well and assured him of their vote.