Porbandar: In footsteps of Mahatma, Mandaviya bets on padyatras to draw people's support

By Amit Kumar
Porbandar (Gujarat) [India], May 2 : Following in the footsteps of Mahatma Gandhi, who rallied a whole army of Satyagrahis and crusaders around him with his famous padyatras while leading the country's fight for freedom; Union Minister Mansukh Mandaviya has made foot marches a central theme or feature of his campaign for the ongoing Lok Sabha elections.
Seeking his maiden term in the Lok Sabha from Porbandar, the birthplace of the Father of the Nation, Mandaviya said he has only been campaigning on foot, as opposed to holding gilded roadshows, going door-to-door to seek electoral support for himself and his party.
Speaking to ANI on the sidelines of campaigning for the Lok Sabha elections, the Union Minister said, "I am contesting the elections from Porbandar, the birthplace of Mahatma Gandhi. As is recorded in our history, the Mahatma organised and took out several padyatras here. Since I am contesting the elections from this hallowed turf, I took inspiration from Mahatma Gandhi in making padyatras the feature of my campaign."
Further expanding on his campaign strategy, the BJP leader told ANI, "I have been visiting the villages here on the campaign trail. I make it a point to get out of my vehicle in every corner of these villages and take out padyatras to engage with the locals. Foot marches have been central to my campaigning here."
On the response to his padyatras, the BJP's Porbandar candidate said further, "I have been receiving a lot of affection and support from locals during the padyatras, with many joining us willingly. Elderly mothers are blessing us while the youth, especially girls, are according us a traditional welcome with kumkum tilak (a mark of vermillion on one's forehead). These foot marches are enabling me to connect with the voters directly and seek their blessings and support."
He said his campaign on foot has not only afforded him an opportunity to engage with voters from up close but has also reduced his campaign expenses.
"I believe we should do what we can to cut down on unnecessary expenses. We should also be alert and awake to the problems and inconveniences of locals. Where will people find shelter from the hot sun if you set the stage at 1 in the afternoon when it is baking hot at 45 degrees? That's why I decided to run my campaign in Porbandar through padyatras. I walk through villages, take out foot marches and address people under trees with a microphone. So there's no need to set a stage and arrange chairs. This approach has also made campaigning a lot more hassle-free while reducing needless expenses. I am consciously cutting down on expenses while carrying my campaign forward," he added
Mandaviya is pitted against the Congress' Lalit Vasoya, a former MLA, who belongs to the Patidar community in the battle for the Porbandar Lok Sabha seat. Before becoming a Rajya Sabha member, Mandaviya was elected an MLA from the Palitana assembly seat of Bhavnagar in 2002.
Polling for 25 Lok Sabha seats in Gujarat will be held in a single phase on May 7, with the counting of votes scheduled for June 4.