While politicians from the same party bond after days of campaigning and fighting electoral battles against a common rival, the same camaraderie is unlikely between two political rivals. But, two independent candidates, who fought against each other and several political biggies, displayed a rare affection for each other during the counting of votes for the Bangalore South Lok Sabha constituency at the city’s SSMRV College on Friday.
While most candidates walked into the counting centres after arriving in their swanky cars, these two veterans of several electoral battles came together on the same scooter as early as 7 a.m. Shambulingegowda, a Gandhian and a tailor, and Govindaiah B.R., a social activist, who first met as candidates for by-elections to the Karnataka Legislative Assembly from the Govindarajnagar constituency in 2009, are thick pals now.
For Shambulingegowda, who is in his fifties, the ensuing Lok Sabha polls was his tenth electoral battle. His previous poll forays include contesting for the Lok Sabha seat from Mandya and Bangalore South, Legislative Assembly constituencies from Maddur and Channapatna besides standing for Zilla Panchayat elections from various constituencies in Bangalore Rural.
His companion Govindaiah (64) said this was his sixth attempt .Decked in a white dhoti with a green shawl hanging over his shoulder and sporting hawai chappals, Shambulingegowda said: “I stood for the elections to win. I toured the entire constituency on my scooter alone and asked people to vote for me. Even if people volunteered to campaign for me, I refused.”
As a Gandhian, he said he wanted to work for the welfare of the farmers and solve the agrarian crisis in the State. Asked if he was intimidated by stalwarts such as the BJP’s Ananth Kumar and the Congress’s Nandan Nilekani, he said, “The reason I chose this constituency was because it is a high-profile contest. I wanted to test if a candidate can win without spending money.”
While Govindiah polled 667, Shambulingegowda secured 572 votes in the elections to Bangalore South Lok Sabha constituency. But, Shambulingegowda said his performances in other elections against Congress’s Ramya and M.H. Ambareesh had yielded better results.
