AAP sets eye on State, plans to field ‘Rs 5 doctor’ from Mandya

Mysore: Euphoric over the Delhi assembly poll triumph, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has set its eye on Karnataka and is looking for able candidates, who enjoy a good social image and clean record. Probably, the AAP’s first candidate would be the famous ‘Rs 5 doctor’, Dr S.C. Shankare Gowda, who is likely to be fielded from Mandya parliamentary constituency.

Senior journalist and AAP member Vasanth Kumar of Mandya said Dr. Shankare Gowda is loved by people of the district for his remarkable service to society. “There is a public pressure on Dr Gowda to contest the Lok Sabha elections from Mandya, we are trying to persuade him to be the AAP candidate”, he said.

Dr Shankare Gowda no doubt, is a living legend in Mandya. Hailing from Shivanahalli taluk, he treats patients at his village in the morning and at his clinic in Mandya in the afternoon. While he charges Rs 5 for patients in Mandya, he treats patients free in his village. He is also an agriculturist, farming in his 6 acre plot of land and treats labourers who come to him free of cost.

Patients from faraway places come to visit Dr Gowda, not only because he charges only Rs 5 but for his good treatment. He treats all kinds of skin ailments and prescribes medicines that are not too costly.

Currently, Dr Gowda is the Mandya Zilla Panchayat vice-president. He was elected from Dudda panchayat constituency on a  JD(S) ticket though he did not campaign or spend a rupee from his pocket, but he is unlikely to get the JD(S) ticket for the Lok Sabha seat. 

Meanwhile, AAP Karnataka official spokesperson Rohit Ranjan told Deccan Chronicle that the party was seeking opinions from the public. The process of finalising candidates will begin from January 15. Anyone is free to apply to be an AAP candidate by filing the application available at the party website.

“Post-the-Delhi-election, AAP membership has swelled to over 50,000 from the previous 15,000, which is significant. We are hopeful of converting the traditional caste-religion driven politics to issue-based politics in Karnataka. To win the confidence of rural voters, who hold the key to electoral success, AAP has commissioned a survey to understand the problems of farmers and other voters in rural Karnataka”.

AAP Karnataka preparatory committee member Giridhar said the party is undertaking door-to-door canvassing like it did in Delhi. AAP Mysore convener M.S.Vinod said the party intends to field a candidate from Mysore constituency and proposes to open offices in all 65 wards of Mysore city corporation for which he has sought office space or an empty garage in the wards from supporters of AAP.