TUMAKURU: Every election since 1989, this Yadava leader from the neighbouring Andhra Pradesh campaigns in some of the assembly seats in Karnataka. Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee president N Raghuveera Reddy, a man Friday of then chief minister late Y S Rajashekara Reddy, has proven his mettle especially in Sira, Pavagada and Madhugiri constituencies as the Congress nominees have won due to his campaigning.
On Thursday, when he held a meeting of his party workers at cold storage plant at Madakashira town in Ananthapura district, Law Minister T B Jayachandra and Madhugiri MLA K N Rajanna attended it keeping aside their routine campaigning. While, Pavagada Congress nominee and former minister M Venkataramanappa had sent his son Venkatesh, a ZP member, to attend the meeting. “Such is Reddy’s influence as he just gives his instruction to the party workers to campaign in favour of the Congress nominees in the constituencies bordering Andhra Pradesh. The workers who also have their relatives in Karnataka spread Reddy’s message elsewhere especially among the backward Golla community households,” remarked Eranna, a Congress worker from Mallanayakanahalli village in Madhugiri taluk.
Whenever the Congress leaders here feel polls as a tough going they see a ‘Messaih’ in Reddy and seek his support. In 2013 polls, he campaigned in Madhugiri resulting in the victory of K N Rajanna by a margin of 15,059 votes. Then, he had even brought the Telugu superstar Chiranjeevi for the campaigning. The duo has had an influence on the Yavada community voters and the Telugu speakers as well. The saga continued. When Rajanna’s wife Shanthala found the going tough in the ZP polls a couple of years ago in Midigeshi, Rajanna had sought Reddy’s help. He campaigned and ensured her victory. Even in 1989, when KPCC president G Parameshwara took the political plunge after returning from Australia, Raguveera Reddy helped him win, a source said. In Sira, Jayachandra ropes in Reddy for campaigning in every election.
Chiru not to campaign
Asked about chances of bringing Telugu megastar Chiranjeevi for the campaigning, like last time, he clarified since the latter is busy shooting abroad, he will not be in action in the Karnataka polls this time.
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