SHIVAMOGGA: Senior Congress leader and Akhila Bharat Veerashaiva Mahasabha President Shamanur Shivashankarappa called upon the voters of the Shivamogga Lok Sabha constituency to re-elect sitting BJP MP BY Raghavendra ‘considering his development works.’
Both Shivashankarappa and Raghavendra belong to the dominant Lingayat community. Raghavendra is the son of former Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa and the elder brother of BJP state president BY Vijayendra.
Speaking after receiving the Guru Basavashree award at Bekkina Kalamata in the city on Friday evening, Shivashankarappa emphasised the importance of selecting the best candidate, citing Raghavendra's "significant contributions" to the development of Shivamogga district.
“What do the people of the constituency want? It is the development that they want. It is our duty to elect such a leader. He is doing such good work,” the former Congress minister said.
He urged the public to prioritise development and ensure Raghavendra's victory in the upcoming elections.
Expressing his satisfaction at receiving the Guru Basavashree award, Shivashankarappa claimed that he had requested the government designate 12th-century social reformer Basavanna as a cultural leader, aligning with the resolution made at the Davangere convention of the Mahasabha. He said that the government responded positively and declared Basavanna a cultural leader.
Shivashankarappa praised Basavanna as a great leader who united communities through the Anubhava Mantapa.