Electioneering is apparently breaking linguistics barriers too. In the Kozhikode Lok Sabha constituency, campaign writings have started appearing in Gujarati.
At Olavanna, many walls bear writings in Gujarati soliciting votes for Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate C.K. Padmanabhan.
The aim is to reach out to the members of the Gujarati business community, settled here for long now, says Padikkappurath Sajeev, BJP Olavanna local unit secretary.
“It is not about the voters understanding it, but about the language [Gujarati], reminding the voters of Narendra Modi, whom the party projects as its Prime Ministerial candidate and therefore soliciting support for its candidate here,” Mr. Sajeev says.
The party took the help of local Gujarati residents to get the script right for the campaign. In Gujarati, it reads: Ummedvar Sri C.K. Padmanabhan Kamal Chitr ne Vote Karshoji (Vote for BJP candidate C.K. Padmanabhan, in the lotus mark).
Posting publicity material, in an unfamiliar language, is also aimed at arousing the curiosity of people and thereby attracting attention, campaign managers of the party say. BJP had tried Kannada and Tamil as well when Mr. Padmanabhan contested to the State Assembly from the Kunnamangalam constituency three years ago, says Vinu Kadakkad, a resident of the area.
That, Mr. Sajeev says, was only for its curiosity value. “But selecting Gujarati this time definitely has stronger implications to it than just the curiosity value,” he adds.
