Amritsar, Feb 18 (PTI) Shamlal "Gandhiwadi", a 39-year-old social activist fighting the Punjab assembly polls from Amritsar West independently has made Mahatma Gandhi"s teachings of non-violence and simple living his poll campaign mantra. Sporting a white Gandhi cap and donning plain white clothes, Gandhiwadi goes on door-to-door campaign in Amritsar on his bicycle, propagates the message of non-violence and communal harmony and seek votes on the strength of his clean credentials. With a total of ten candidates, including Congress" sitting MLA Raj Kumar Verka, in fray from Amritsar West (Reserve), Gandhiwadi says he is not deterred by the fight as he derives his strength from Mahatma Gandhi"s ideals which he propagates while campaigning. Fighting the eighth elections of his life, "Gandhiwadi" vows to become the “voice of masses”, lamenting that political parties do not talk of people’s real issues. "Nobody talks of common people’s real issues these days,” Gandhiwadi claimed while talking to PTI amid his poll campaigning and said, if elected, he would become the voice of people and raise their issues strongly. "There is a need to understand the importance of non-violence and peace," said "Gandhiwadi", talking of why he has been seeking votes on strength of Gandhi’s philosophy of peace, non-violence and simple living. Propagating Gandhian values, he said, "If one can understand Gandhi"s simple ideas like the need to adopt simple living and staying away from social evils, the world would be a much better place to live in". The fact that he has fought seven elections, all unsuccessfully till now, has not deterred Gandhiwadi from jumping into the fray for the eighth time. "I have fought three Lok Sabha polls from Amritsar. The February 20 poll is my third assembly poll which I will be contesting. I also contested civic polls twice. So, I am fighting my eighth election now," he told PTI. Asked why he keeps contesting elections, Gandhiwadi said "had the system been right, it would not have forced me to contest". "Many have made politics a business these days. How can they serve the country? At the time of elections, they ask for votes but once the polls are over they don"t fulfil their promises,” he complained. "Rulers used to disguise themselves as commoners and go among people to see if they are happy, if they face any problem. But today’s leaders are least bothered about people,” he said. Gandhian, who lives in a rented locality in Amritsar and has a wife and a child to support, said the real development means reaching a stage when no one will have to struggle to make two ends meet. He said he used to work in a factory earlier but after its shutdown during the Covid lockdown, he now does petty jobs to eke out a living. PTI SUN VSD RAX RAX