Eager to bring about change, pros jump into fray
Lawyers, medicos and engineers wooing voters. They say issues like insanitation, streetlights and road construction to be priority, if people vote for them Pathologist wants to ‘inject’ development into his ward
LUCKNOW: Upset over poor development work in his area, a doctor in Lucknow has decided to contest the civic election from Raja Ram Mohan Roy ward.
“If successive corporators failed to deliver, why can’t I contest? You won’t believe, a nullah in our ward has been under repair for various reasons for the past 10 years and is still incomplete. I am irked and hence decided to contest for the post of corporator,” said Dr Deepak Dikshit, a pathologist and resident of the ward.
There are other candidates with professional degrees in the fray, but Dr Dikshit’s case is different.
His decision to contest is not just based on a nullah. The doctor said majority of the politicians are not aware of what residents, who elected them, want in their surroundings.
“Proper and clean lanes, sufficient drinking water and streetlights – if these are available, no one will criticise the mayor or corporator. But for Lucknowites, even these basic facilities have been a distant dream since long,” he added. Dixit’s campaign is also unique. While his pathology timings remain the same – from 10 am to 4 pm – the campaigning is done before or after work. “I do not go out much as friends and those who know me are already campaigning for me and I am hopeful,” he said.
“People know me and if they believe in what I think, they will vote,” he said. And his post-result plans too are straightforward. “I will focus on the basics for my ward,” added Dixit. Asked whether his jumping into the poll fray would be taken positively by voters, he said: “Why not. Professionals too have a responsibility towards the society. More amongst us should come forward,” said Dikshit. “We live in times where education, ethics and transparency are the need of the hour. It’s time for us to rise, be counted and make a difference,” said Dr Sandeep Kapoor, director Healthcity Hospital.