Conviction and friends are his strengths, The Hindu, COIMBATORE, October 10, 2011

Seeking votes: Differently abled Independent candidate S. Baskar campaigning in Coimbatore on Sunday for the post of councillor in the local body elections. — Photo: M. Periasamy

S. Baskar, a contestant for councillor of Ward 84, feels charged and sports a positive look - Karthik Madhavan

A week into his campaign, S. Baskar, a contestant for councillor of Ward 84, is still confident. In fact, he feels charged and sports a positive outlook. “The people's response is good,” he says from his wheel chair.

“The voters come out of their house to meet me, convey their grievances and listen to my promises. They also pat my shoulder, which keeps me going.”

He adds: “They do not treat me any different from other candidates and that in itself is a positive sign.”

Lok Satta

He filed his nomination after his differently abled friends wanted him to do so. And then came the support from Lok Satta, political wing of the Anti-Corruption Front.

“It is the confidence that we can be different, do things better and be a notch above other candidates has made us file the nomination,” says E.K. Baburaj, Mr. Baskar's friend and campaign manager of sorts.

“The differently abled people want to voice the people's as well as their needs at the Council and that's the reason for Mr. Baskar's candidature,” he explains.

The candidate has the support of committed people like A. Syed Ibrahim, who quit his job at a mobile phone shop in Gandhipuram to campaign for Mr. Baskar.

“By fighting the election, we want to covey a message to society that we want to be counted,” says Mr. Ibrahim, who is also a differently abled person like Mr. Baburaj.

Commitment

Their commitment has made the youth among the voters participate in the campaign.

“Youngsters who see us going around seeking votes, volunteer to distribute handbills and enlist people's support,” says M. Shankar Ganesh, another of Mr. Baskar's campaigners.

This is one side of the story. At the other, the candidate and his supporters are forced to do a lot of explaining. “When we approach the voters, they, looking at our physical status, think we are seeking donation. We then try to explain to them that we want their support and vote not money. They also look at campaigners as those working for money. We again tell them we are volunteers not people working for money,” says Mr. Baskar.

The differently abled person's candidature will not make a difference as the voters do not look for one's physical status in voting, says N.J. Murugesan, the DMK candidate for Ward 84.

He says the fight is between the DMK and the AIADMK, the two leading parties, and others do not stand a chance.