By P K Surendran
Bangalore, Apr 9 : Gulping down the Horlicks his wife gave him, HT Sangliana, Congress candidate for Bangalore Central, nods to the platoon of gun-totting Black Cats.
Dressed in olive green pants and a check shirt, he brushes aside his wife's suggestion to have a heavy breakfast. 'I'm late," says he.
The 'road show' then begins in Shivaji Nagar at 1.30 pm, three hours behind schedule, which gives tense moments to his campaign managers, Ashwin and Hussain.
At 1 O'Clock, the Black Cats (he is in Z category) deliver the man. On the way to campaign, Sangliana speaks to DNA.
If his party comes to power and he wins, what will he do for Bangalore Central?
"I want to make it a model constituency in the country. I will start with amenities."
He also refers to techies' complaint that they work late into night and get no decent place to dine. Night life is spoiled by police at 11 pm. All flights too come at night. How are they then supposed to live?
"I will try to bring relaxation in timings. After all, police job is to prevent crime and make citizens' life more comfortable. Regulation is a lazy way to escape from responsibility."
The cavalcade comes to a halt at Seppings Road as crackers go bursting (boo to EC code) and drum-beaters make a racket. Sangliana snatches a drum and begins playing. MLA Roshan Baig takes charge from here.
The road is overflowing with festival crowd due to Muthyalamma Rathotsav. Someone puts a Mysore Peta cap on Sangliana's head and the ordeal of Black Cats begins.
They form a ring around Sangliana. This infuriates zealous youths and a verbal exchange ensues. Sangliana walks with his palms joined in Namaste sign. It is predominantly a Tamil area.
They come to Rath, a five-stage art object made of timber, tin and clothes. Everybody is throwing a plantain fruit at Rath. Someone gives a fruit to Sangliana. He throws it but it hits the structure and falls to the ground.
Next, they reach a make-shift stage where Baig and Sangliana step onto. Baig tries to rouse the rabble talking in a mixed lingo overloaded with Tamil. If there is a leader who protects Tamil interests, it is Sangliana, he says amid loud claps.
The microphone is passed to the candidate. He vows he will tirelessly work for them. He also reminds them how Chief Minister BS Yedyurappa spends Rs 23 crores for the campaign of his son while Tamils are spending money for buying a little water to drink.
Along the route, he waves to people standing on balconies. He lovingly pinches the tiny cheeks of babes in their mothers' arms.
The procession nears the Muthyalamma temple. The 100-yard path to the temple is unbelievably dirty with wastes, plastic cups and slush. As Sangliana and Baig get in, a shoal of videographers swim in too, ignoring the warning board, "Photography and videography are prohibited."
Sangliana gets a special aarti and comes out with a red tilak on his forehead.
Back to the road, a local leader walks behind Sangliana and raises his palm and chants the, 'kai" (hand) Marakka mate" (don't forget hand).
From the temple, the crowd follows him to Al Badr building that stands opposite to the road.
He seeks votes from workers inside the building, swigs a soft drink, and melts into the seething crowd. All are profusely sweating but Sangliana shows no sign of fatigue. He continues walking the streets with palms folded in namaste mode and occasionally getting into shops suggested by campaign managers and Baig.
