‘Bojo of Blackburn’ Tory candidate WINS election by 113 votes after becoming internet sensation with bizarre campaign video in vandalised children’s playground
- Tiger Patel won as Conservative candidate for the Audley and Queen’s Park ward
- A video shared before election showed him walking around a local playground
- He wordlessly pointed out damage to the equipment as music played
- At one point he stands atop a slide and raises his arms while looking at the camera – unaware he is standing behind graffiti resembling male genitalia
A politician who went viral thanks to a bizarre campaign video that showed him wordlessly gesturing to defunct park apparatus before giving peace signs standing behind X-rated graffiti has won his seat in the local elections.
Tiger Patel, who says he has been described as ‘the BoJo of Blackburn’, won as the Conservative candidate for the Audley and Queen’s Park ward – beating the Labour incumbent Maryam Batan by 1,209 votes to 1,096.
Responding to the news, Mr Patel tweeted: ‘THANK YOU, Great People of Audley & Queen’s Park! I will be Councillor for all! Thank you, thank you!’
A campaign video Mr Patel shared before the election showed him walking around a local playground silently showing damage to the equipment while music plays, in a clip which was viewed millions of times on Twitter.
At one point he stands atop a slide and raises his arms while looking at the camera – unaware that he is standing behind graffiti which shows a doodle of male genitalia.
Mr Patel, whose real name is Altaf, released his latest video on WhatsApp this week before it was shared widely online and to a rapturous reception on social media
‘At the end of the day, when Tiger did the video, he didn’t notice the fruity graffiti, but that says it all for us,’ Julian Arnold, chairman of the Blackburn Conservative Association, said.
‘That’s what’s happening: these community facilities are being vandalised, are being wrecked, and the graffiti says it all – little kids play on there.’
Mr Patel has become well known locally for similar videos highlighting what he says are some of the main issues in the area, including fly-tipping, potholes and the state of local facilities, like the parks.
He previously ran as an independent but said he was moved to run as a Conservative this time after seeing Boris Johnson make speeches on TV – and says he has even been compared with the Prime Minister.
Mr Patel unknowingly posed in front of a slide that was daubed in x-rated graffiti
‘I’m inspired by Boris Johnson,’ he said.
‘He’s popular, and I’m also popular in Blackburn.
‘Somebody said I was the BoJo of Blackburn.’
Speaking after the victory, Mr Arnold said Mr Patel’s videos have proved the power of publicity and complimented his engagement with the electorate.
‘It’s a masterful stroke… he’s actually a local politician we see doing something,’ Mr Arnold said.
‘He’s making some more videos today and he’s going to continue making the videos, as he does projects, as he achieves things in the world… that’s how he wants to connect with his voters and I think it’s fabulous.’