BENGALURU: After Prime Minister Narendra Modi set the tone for election campaigning in Karnataka by terming the Congress dispensation as a “10 per cent government,” the state Congress leaders will now be looking up to their party president Rahul Gandhi to charge-up the atmosphere.
Rahul is visiting Karnataka from February 10 to 12 first time after taking over as the president of the party,.
Continuing the style of campaigning that he had adopted during the recent Gujarat Assembly polls, the Congress president will interact with local people and address a number of small rallies during his three-day visit. Rahul, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and other top leaders in the party will take a bus from Ballari to Kalaburagi.
“It will be like a roadshow and we are certainly very enthused about it. It will charge-up the atmosphere even more and help the Congress,” KPCC Working President Dinesh Gundu Rao told The New Indian Express. “He likes this kind of programmes so that he can interact with people to understand their issues. Apart from a big rally in Hosapete,’’ Rao said.
Rahul’s road trip will start from Hosapete in Ballari district on Saturday and will end in Kalaburagi on Monday. On the way he will also visit temples, a dargah and a mutt.
According to information sent out by the KPCC, Rahul will visit Huligemma Temple and Gavi Siddeswara Mutt in Koppal, Khwaja Bande Nawaz Dargah in Kalaburagi and Anubhava Mantapa in Basavakalyan.
Political analysts, however, said Congress’ “soft Hindutva” strategy may not work in Karnataka.
“The Gujarat model of soft Hindutva will not work here,” said political analyst M Madan Mohan. “I do not think Rahul Gandhi will be able to connect with people and make much of a difference for the party. Siddaramaiah is their most popular leader,” he said.
Shah to visit coastal districts from Feb 18
After suffering a washout in the last Assembly elections, BJP is leaving no stone unturned to reclaim the coastal region - which has been a BJP bastion for at least two decades. As part of its poll campaign, BJP national president Amit Shah will be on a three-day tour of the coastal region from February 18 to 20. Shah will tour Dakshina Kannada and Udupi.
He will also visit the house of Deepak Rao, a victim of communal violence. Shah is expected to address a press meet following this visit in communally sensitive Katipalla. Among the temples he will visit are Kukke Subramanya Temple and Sri Krishna Mutt in Udupi.