Report on the Lokayat Election Campaign
Dear All,
Our activists are having a great time campaigning for the Pune Civic Elections, polling for which is going to take place on February 21. We have split our activists into 3 teams, and all three teams are campaigning in different areas, singing songs, doing street plays, campaigning from house to house distributing pamphlets, organising small rallies, holding impromtu meetings at various crossings, and so on. We have also made very attractive campaign material, such as big placards, caps, etc.
The response of the people is superb. They are amazed by this different campaign, as no one goes house to house. In many areas, people know us, as we have campaigned amongst them on so many issues. And on top of it, all our activists are young, and campaign in the evenings after doing their jobs – from their faces, it becomes evident that they are not paid volunteers.
The best way the response can be judged is from the fact that we have been able to collect more than Rs 10,000 from individual contributions from the people during the election campaign. Apart from this, we also have several bigger individual donations – ranging from Rs 100 to Rs 5000 too. It is very exhilarating indeed.
Other groups have paid volunteers – people are paid anywhere from Rs 250 to Rs 1000 for campaigning for a single day, and here, we have several dozen volunteers, campaigning free, and instead asking for contributions for campaign expenses. So, people have been donating generously. That itself is very encouraging – whether we win or lose in the elections, we are confident, the future is ours!
Then there are several individuals, both in the bastis and societies, who are themselves campaigning for us, distributing our pamphlets, talking to people in support of us. Many basti youth are secretly campaigning for us, they are afraid of coming out publicly in the open for us, as they have links to the mainstream politicians, who do their work for them. So, on the whole, we have been able to mobilise a bigger team for campaigning than even the mainstream parties.
Several left and progressive groups are supporting us, and have formally extended their support. This includes the Bhartiya Republican Paksh (Prakash Ambedkar group), the Janwadi Mahila Sangathana and the Pune Jilha Gharkamgar Sangathana, and the Pune Jilha Molkarina Sangathana. Medha Thatte came down to address one of our campaign rallies too. Then, several independent progressive activists have been joining us in our campaigns.
And finally, we have also got some decent newspaper coverage.
On the whole, it is a very exciting campaign.
SUPPORT LOKAYAT AND SOCIALIST PARTY (INDIA) CANDIDATES IN WARD NO 14
OUR CANDIDATES: (they are all independents as SPI is not registered with state election commission, do not have a common symbol.)
1. Shrikrishna Kulkarni – symbol nagara
2. Mangal Nikam – symbol slate
3. Yogesh Suryavanshi – symbol torch
CONTRIBUTE FINANCIALLY TO OUR ELECTION CAMPAIGN:
If you wish to contribute to our election effort, you can transfer your contribution to the following account of one of our candidates – opened specially for the election expenses:
Name: Shrikrishna Kulkarni
Account Number: 0925010404136
IFSC Code: UTBIODEC632
Name of Bank: United Bank of India
Bank Branch: Deccan Gymkhana Branch, Pune
CANVASS FOR OUR CANDIDATES, WE NEED YOUR ELECTORAL SUPPORT:
Prabhag No 14 – is the area bordered by Prabhat Road to Senapati Bapat Road to Symbiosis to Chaturshringi to Sancheti and COEP to JM Road and Deccan Gymkhana and Savarkar Memorial – if you are staying there, or have friends there, organise meetings in your society for us, distribute our pamphlets, contact your friends staying in that area to support us – in short, help us to reach out to people and motivate them to support us – mobilise votes for our candidates – they are your candidates. You can reach our campaign team at the following nos
Swapnil: 95616 01368
Sandeep: 90285 14434
Looking forward to your active support,
Neeraj
—
Neeraj Jain, Lokayat and Socialist Party (India)
C-2, Mantri Estate, Salisbury Park, Pune – 37
Ph. Mobile 094222 20311
Landline: 020-24265181
