Wooing the captive crowd: `50 weddings a day & respite from heat'

Kozhikode: With elections coinciding with the marriage season in Kerala, candidates have chalked out plans to turn nuptial venues into campaign spots.
Some candidates claimed that they would have possibly set a record of sorts by attending nearly 50 weddings a day.
Driving this marathon drive is a captive crowd of nearly 1,000 voters in a congenial atmosphere.So, there is an additional advantage of striking an emotional connect with the families. The prospect becomes attractive as the scorching summer heat has forced many candidates to reschedule their outdoor campaigns.
Also, the months of April-May are the peak season for marriages due to vacations and the Malayalam month of Medam.
This year there is additional marriage rush as Ramzan is due in June.
“Visiting marriage venues has become a core campaign activity.Last Sunday, I made an appearance at 48 weddings in my constituency,“ said Congress candidate in Kunnamangalam T Siddique.
Invitations are not a bother as some candidates arrive uninvited. “Though we do get invitations, we can't insist on a personal invite for all functions. When we don't have an invite, the local party worker introduces us to the family at the venue. There have been occasions when such visits have turned a tricky affair. When my rival visits the venue at the same time, the crowd bursts out laughing,“ Siddique added.
IUML's Tanur candidate Abdul Rahiman Randathani said wedding visits take up most of his campaign time on weekends.
“I visited 52 wedding venues last weekend. Every wedding be attended by 500-1,000 people and it is a good opportunity to meet a large number of voters as it is impossible to cover each home during campaign. Normally a wedding visit would involve congratulating the newlyweds, exchanging pleasantries with the parents and relatives, and I usually manage to say a quick word to the people present at the wedding,“ he said.
UDF candidate in Nilambur Aryadan Shoukath said he attended 23 weddings last Sunday. Die-hard party loyalists have taken marriages to another level by putting up wedding posters and invites along with the party symbols and the images of candidates.