VISAKHAPATNAM: To emerge victorious in this year’s elections, candidates of various parties are cooking up innovative ways to earn the electorate trust and votes. In this regard, Jana Sena candidate for Visakhapatnam LS constituency VV Lakshminarayana leads the pack by releasing development manifestos for the constituency and interacting with voters on social media.
Lakshminarayana, also called VVL, has been trying to posture himself as a politician with a difference — going on foot to various places and interacting with people over tea and biscuits — to ensure his victory.
He recently released his Visakhapatnam LS constituency election manifesto on a `100 judicial paper. The document contained many assurances, including the port city’s development, pollution control and environment protection, transportation and traffic, employment, tourism, education and health among others.
Though the move has invited plaudits and criticism from various quarters, but it became a point of discussion among both people and nominees of other parties. Soon enough, TDP candidate M Sri Bharat came up with a special manifesto for Visakhapatnam LS constituency, while YSRC Vizag LS nominee MVV Satyanarayana spoke of some special plans up his sleeve for the segment. Meanwhile, Lakshminarayana started using Twitter to push his message through to people.
With the hashtag ‘#AskJDforVizag’, he invited netizens to question him about his plans for development of Visakhapatnam, policies and politics, and is prompt in his replies. To a query, VVL said, “I’ll set up a public library in every constituency on the lines of Dwaraka Nagar Public Library in Vizag. They will have Wi-Fi connectivity, a TV to broadcast education channels and a collection of books.”
To another query, he replied, “I’ll ensure that everyone follows traffic rules.” Many people have welcomed the move and conveyed their best wishes to the candidate. However, only time will tell whether such methods will earn bouquets or brickbats.