Tehran, Iran, May 21
By Mehdi Sepahvand –- Trend:
A bird seller has been elected as the favorite candidate into the city council in Khorramabad, Lorestan Province, Iran, Trend correspondent reported May 21.
Valiollah Rostaminejad garnered 40,086 votes to stand atop in a field of nine members of the city council in the 2017 election. His strong lead of 27,821 votes with the second candidate came as an amazing sweep for a man with no previous official political activity.
Valiollah holds a master’s degree in English from the University of Tehran. He fared as a teacher in the early years after the 1979 revolution. He was purged in 1980 for unorthodox political ideas by the Supreme Cultural Revolution Council.
After losing his job as a teacher, he employed himself in the business of selling birds at a corner in the old downtown area of Khorramabad, where he started to be seen and known by townspeople.
Valiollah had no electoral campaign except for standing on the pavement hanging a banner from his neck which invited people to vote for him. His banner read: He has hope, but no campaign. He is educated, but has no campaign office.
Valiollah found his way into the council despite the fact that he was not a member of any of the two major political parties competing in the race.
Valiollah had no account on social media before he was elected, but was much talked about on popular apps. Afterwards, a fan gave him a cell phone as present. He used the device to post a letter of appreciation to his fans online.