The local election campaign. caravans rolled out today, Sunday providing much time for the candidates to go that extra mile in the 10 or so days they have at their disposal.
We tracked one candidate. The CPI-M’s Saraswathi who has been named the candidate for ward 123, that covers broadly the Luz – Palakkumanyam Nagar-Abiramapuram- R A Puram zone, a rather far flung ward this.
Saraswathi, who we are told has been in the Left party for many years says she has also worked at the local level. She hails from the Nandanam area.
On Sunday, her caravan was on the streets at about 7 a.m. With her were four or five cadres from the CPI-M and DMK party, from the local units.
Ahead of the caravan was a decorated auto, carrying the party flags of the DMK alliance partners and banners on the candidate, followed by two youths who kicked up some noise as well as sought some attention when they worked on their drums.
A speaker fixed to the auto-rickshaw blared the campaign’s slogans, heralding the arrival of the candidate.
Saraswathi had chosen to wear a sari that sported the party’s symbol. She clutched a sheaf of handbills, stopped to talk and greet street hawkers, women at water taps and men at street corners.
“People living in Slum Board blocks have many issues. Sewage and water supply are also issues,” Saraswathi told us.
She took a long walk around the thickly populated Pallakkumanyam Nagar, off Luz Church Road where Slum Board-developed blocks house over 1000 families. The votes of these people are vital to any candidate; there are some here who swear by a political party, there are some who vibe with a certain party.
Saraswathi spent over 90 minutes here. It was a key destination for her as it will be for all other candidates contesting in Ward 123 of the Mylapore zone.
- With inputs from Madhan Kumar
