VIDEO: Regional District vice chair seeks MLA seat as an independent

As a former University football player, Kevin Kraft likes his sports analogies and he says the Conservative and BC United blew what should have been an easy play.

"I chalk it up to being a one-yard hand-off on the end zone," said Kraft. "I think that opportunity was fumbled."

Kraft, the deputy chair of the Central Okanagan Regional District is running as an independent in the riding of Kelowna-Lake Country-Coldstream.

He said too many good candidates were left on the sidelines after BC United forfeited the election campaign.

"They were abandoned," said Kraft.

"There was an opportunity, especially in the Central Okanagan to put together a 'dream team'."

That's one of the reasons he entered the contest.

He believes this could be the year of the independent candidate.

"We're in unprecedented times provincially," he explained.

And he senses dissatisfaction with both the NDP and the Conservative options.

"There's a lot of concerns around the two options of left and right."

Kraft believes the public should be concerned that most of the local Conservative candidates are avoiding public forums and media interviews.

It's frustrating to know that there are candidates who are going to potentially win without engaging with the democratic process, engaging with the public." said Kraft.

He said public engagement is critical in a riding as diverse as Kelowna-Lake Country-Coldstream.

"We have six distinct communities," said Kraft. "All are vying for different priorities, different needs, different requirements."

So he vows to attend every public meeting and make himself available the the media whenever he can.

Kraft said that as an independent, he has to.

He believes that politics, like sports, is full of surprises.

"For me," said Kraft, "there's a little bit of a Cinderella story coming up."

Voters go to the polls October 19.