On campaign trail, Mehrotra banks on ‘strong local connect’

LUCKNOW As soon as a middle-aged woman spoke about poor civic facilities in the area, Samajwadi Party candidate Ravidas Mehrotra was quick to respond, saying: “The issue exists only till I become the MP of Lucknow.”

He was meeting voters in Cantt constituency on Thursday as part of his poll campaign. Mehrotra, a three-time MLA, is contesting against BJP’s stalwart and union defence minister Rajnath Singh on the Lucknow Lok Sabha seat that will go to polls on May 20 in the fifth of the seven-phase Lok Sabha polls.

The INDIA bloc candidate is moving extensively across the state capital and campaigned across 60 wards in Lucknow that has 110 wards in urban areas, said a party worker.

Mehrotra is banking on his ‘strong local connect’ he developed over the years. At 69, Mehrotra swiftly boards the 7 feet x 4.5 feet election campaign van decked up with flags of Samajwadi Party, Aam Admi Party and Congress and moves exchanging greetings with over 20K people every day in the state capital that has over 39 lakh voters to connect with.

Many would think that the Lucknow contest is likely to be one sided, but Mehrotra believes otherwise. He is upbeat and carries on with his daily campaign with a spring in his stride. In the middle of a hot day, he is either on call talking to supporters or meeting delegations from across the state capital.

“Rajnath is an outsider and I have stayed in Lucknow almost every day. I know the city and its people are like my family. You won’t have to come again with a problem as I will come back to solve it as your MP,” the three-time MLA told a gathering at the Ambedkar Nagar ward.

He addressed small gatherings and discussed local issues while moving in the lanes of Ramjilal-Patel Nagar ward and Babu Kunj Bihari ward.

“I will never leave Lucknow. People who know this well are my strength, and not just vote,” said Mehrotra.