Bengaluru: Rizwan Arshad, the Congress candidate for Bengaluru Central, has spared no effort in nurturing his constituency, a grassroots approach he has maintained for several years. 39-year-old Arshad, who kickstarted his campaign on March 28, will be taking on BJP's incumbent, P.C. Mohan. Another unlikely rival has entered the fray, however, the left-leaning actor Prakash Rai, who will contest the election as an independent and has garnered a reputation for his outspokenness, a trait that has drawn educated youth to him in droves.
All guns blazing in Rajajinagar on Monday morning, Arshad took to the streets with big names like former Chief Minister Siddarmaiah and K.J. George. The trail went from Rajajinagar to Nagawara, Avalahalli and nearby areas, where he was welcomed with great enthusiasm as thousands gathered to hear his campaign speeches. Known for his dynamism and his 'local boy' image, Arshad has worked to ensure his voice reaches every voter, with his teams scouring neighbourhoods in the Bangalore Central constituency. The plight of farmers is never far behind and Arshad vowed, on his campaign trail in the heart of the city, to be the voice of farmers in Karnataka.
During the campaign, Mr Siddaramaiah took a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, telling them that if they vote for Mr Modi once more, "the conditions of living will hit rock bottom." He asked them to make "the wise decision', which is to vote in the young Arshad.
Arshad, who also addressed the public, said, "I would like to represent Bengaluru and its problem in the centre. I will also talk about the plight of our farmers and the water problem in the state. People should ensure that they vote Congress, so that there won't be any kind of uncertainty in the country. We have suffered for five years at the hands of a BJP government and we cannot tolerate it for another term."
Referring to the rising costs of fuel and the price of cooking gas, Arshad said there have been no efforts at price reduction. "These are simply things required for daily life and the BJP has hit the common man. The rich are getting richer, while the middle class and the poor are sinking," he said.
Krishna Bhat, a resident of Nagavara said, "He has the capability to represent us in parliament. He is educated and street smart, we have observed him for the past eight years, doing grassroots work for his constituency. Thousands of youngsters are actively involved with working for Arshad. He knows how to appeal to the youth and that has gone far to help gain the trust of the people."
Sumalatha Shankar, a resident of C.V. Raman Nagar, agreed that Rizwan Arshad has the makings of a charismatic leader, adding, "It's going to be a tough fight, though, as we have Prakash Rai, known for his open talk. Educated youth like Mr Rai for this. It's going to be a tough fight."
