As local election campaigns go this turned out to be quite an unusual one - and one candidate took things to the next level with a series of surreal campaign videos.

And maybe this is the way forward.

Let’s be honest if it wasn’t for Tiger Patel in Blackburn and his antics over the last few weeks no young person would have known there was an election going on.

Several of taxi-driver ‘Tiger’ Patel’s videos were shared across social media and maybe he was doing something that other people could well learn from.

Tiger, real name Altaf Patel, was standing in the Audley and Queen’s Park Ward, Blackburn, as an independent. He was up against long-standing councillor Salim Sidat of Labour who eventually won comfortably and Sarah Morrison of the Conservative Party.

Cheekily the Labour Party posted 'Tabdili' on a graphic when the result was announced.

Tiger, with his trademark shalwar kameez, featured in a series of videos walking slowly down a street. In the background a person sings a traditional track praising Mr Patel.

In another video he picks up some trash near a phone box and then stands with both hands in the air – in a Richard Nixon-style pose. 

For those who rediculed the videos it was nothing short of genius. Walking to music that is being played from a car stereo - what a great idea - who needs a video editor?. At other times he would utter his own catchlines in Urdu to applause.

The videos were racking up thousands of views and people from across the country were trying to figure out if this was some sort of set-up. When these videos were being shared I was told that this was making a mockery of the election process. And other members of the Asian community felt that he was embarrassing them.

Others thought the whole thing was a big joke and didn’t think a candidate would go to such lengths to gain votes.

This wasn't actually coming from anyone competing against him, who were quite dignified but more from others who feel they have a right to dictate how we as a community are perceived.

People like Mr Patel are and always will be part of the community and in no way should anyone feel embarrassed just because his English isn’t as eloquent as anyone else’s. I certainly wasn’t.

For someone who was not known several weeks ago he has done something quite unique. By simply focusing on the issues that matter to him, potholes, rubbish and park swings he managed to gain a following.

Of course, it wasn’t enough to get elected but there was something that future candidates could learn from.

Politics after all is all about getting noticed and Tiger certainly did do that.