School for Politicians Set to Make a Difference

An auto driver and a minister’s daughter share insights about an unusual leadership course they are attending

BENGALURU: An auto driver and a minister’s daughter are among those who have signed up for the third batch of the B.PAC Civic Leadership Incubator Program (B.CLIP).

C Sampath, auto driver and member of Adarsha Auto-rickshaw Drivers Union, had contested the BBMP election as an independent candidate from SK Garden ward, Pulikeshinagara. He did not win.

“One of the main reasons for my loss is my lack of knowledge of public policy. Through these classes, I hope to gain knowledge and win elections one day,’’ he told City Express.

Sampath recently visited the Vidhana Soudha. “I got to know about how the Assembly session works. All these years, I just used to read newspapers or watch TV,’’ he said.

As part of his leadership education, Sampath visited the Mavallipura landfill site. “I saw how people suffer. The water is polluted, and people are ill. I will go from door to door in my ward and spread awareness about garbage segregation,’’ he said.

At the classes, experts explain problems related to roads, garbage, street lights and civic amenities.

“They also teach us how to fix these problems, and campaign and make speeches. We are learning how to prepare a budget,’’ he said.

Vegan and outgoing

Soumya Reddy, daughter of Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy, is among the other students. A vegan activist, Soumya wants to join politics.

“Through politics, we can change society for the better,’’ she said.

Soumya has learnt simplicity from her father, a senior Congress leader. “I see how he treats people visiting our house. I have observed and learnt many things from him,’’ she said.

She joined B-CLIP classes because of the opportunity it gives her to meet people from diverse walks of life. “Autos drivers to lecturers to IT professionals, many come. By interacting with them, we gain experience,’’ she said.

Revathy Ashok, Managing Trustee and CEO, B-PAC, said such classes had been in progress since August 2013. This is the third batch. Each batch trains 50 candidates.

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