As M. Mukesh enters the lobby of Holy Cross Hospital, Kottiyam, there is an instant burst of activity. The candidate is mobbed by a crowd of visitors and staff who squeeze themselves into the frame for a photograph with the star.
Countless selfies and camera flashes ensue and he scurries forward with folded hands. At the hospital canteen, he introduces himself as the LDF candidate and requests the voters for their support. A bunch of women who work in the kitchen ask for a selfie and he is ready to oblige. Before leaving he jests in that familiar style, ‘it’s five votes for one selfie, okay?’. At the nearby convent, he requests the nuns to pray for his success and Sr. Rachel, Principal of the nursing school, places her hand on his head in blessing. As the students gather, he starts addressing them in a simple, effortless manner. He talks about his work as Kollam MLA and how his constituency fared in comparison and about development works worth ₹1,748 crore.
