BENGALURU, 18 APRIL

Congress candidate for Bengaluru South Sowmya Reddy has opted for the traditional route to canvass voters by going door to door and seeking votes herself. 

On Thursday, she was welcomed by her supporters with a bike rally in Govindrajnagar ward and her campaign car echoed chants of "Congress Sarkara ee bari'' (Congress will win this year) as it moved through the streets. Around 4,000 people gathered in support. Her father and Cabinet Minister R Ramalinga Reddy was behind the scenes planning the poll strategies.

Sowmya, who lost in 2023 Assembly elections, said this time, Congress will hear every door-to-door problem and address the solution if they vote for her. The bike rally across 16 wards of Govindrajnagar highlighted Congress's five guarantees, urging voters to give the party a chance in Bengaluru South, traditionally a stronghold of the BJP, with only one Congress victory in 1991. 

Sowmya’s campaign focused on raising awareness about Congress's five guarantees and addressing tax disparities faced by Kannadigas. 

Salar News managed to catch up with Sowmya during her campaign to get her views on poll strategies and views plaguing the seat.

You have been carrying out the rally for over a month, what are the problems you noticed?

Throughout our month-long rally, we've identified numerous issues plaguing Namma Bengaluru. The City's transformation over the past two decades, particularly post-IT boom, has revealed glaring problems such as inadequate infrastructure and a looming water crisis.

BJP has the stronghold in Bengaluru and Congress has won only once. Do you think you can break the streak?

I firmly believe we can break BJP's stronghold in Bengaluru. People have experienced firsthand the benefits of a Congress government and have also witnessed the unjust treatment from Central government. 

One glaring issue that caught your attention during the nomination rally?

It is the plight of slum residents, who are deprived of basic facilities. Despite being neglected by BJP MP, I, as a Bengaluru native, am determined to leverage City's brand and address these issues head-on to uplift their living conditions. —Salar News