A campaign sans posters and billboards

At a time when multi-colour posters, festoons, banners and billboards dominate the electioneering scene of the State, at least two candidates have decided to forgo them and focus on personally meeting voters.

When K. Sankaran, a BJP candidate contesting the Mariyappally ward of the Kottayam Municipality, told his party colleagues that he will contest the local body election without any visual campaigning paraphernalia like posters or banners, they were all apprehensive. They felt that he was taking a huge risk.

“My well wishers asked me to keep at least ten campaigning materials. If someone were to come to my ward, they wouldn’t know that I’m contesting. There are no boards or posters announcing my candidature,” explains Mr. Sankaran.

At the same time, his political opponents, Sabu Pallivathukal of UDF and Santhosh Kuttuveli of LDF, are taking the traditional route of campaigning, he says.

However, Mr. Sankaran remained confident, believing that what matters is the work he carried out at the ward back when he was the councillor of the ward in 2005.

As candidates intensify their efforts to win the election, many rely heavily on visual aids such as banners, posters, and pamphlets. However, some take a more minimalistic approach, depending on word-of-mouth publicity.

Presently Mr. Sankaran is the councillor of ward number 41, Kannadikkadavu in the Kottayam municipality and also serves as the education standing committee chairman.

“People are surprised by the absence of the campaign materials. All that I have is a notice, which I distribute when I go to the houses. No other campaigning materials are used. I believe that it is unnecessary expenditure. I intend to use the money to help someone, I do have a family in my mind,” he says.

Like Mr. Sankaran, octogenarian P. N. Narayanan Nair, an independent candidate contesting in Ward 2 of the Ashamannoor grama panchayat at Perumbavoor, Ernakulam, has also adopted a similar strategy.

Mr. Nair believes that spending money on campaigning materials is a waste, so all he does is leave his house by 7 a.m. and visit houses and meet people. Mr. Nair is chasing a dream he has been carrying for the past ten years.

“My father wanted to compete. He has been thinking about it for the last ten years. He campaigns alone, meeting people in their houses,” says K. N. Anilkumar, his son.

“I am sure people may vote for him. He has been active even after retirement, helping people get things done at the Krishi Bhavan, etc. He has some vision and has shared a few ideas he intends to implement if he wins,” he said.