HUBBALLI: As the battle for the Kundgol bypoll heats up, Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy is expected to arrive here on Monday to bolster the efforts of Congress leaders who are camped in the constituency. Former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is also expected to campaign for four days from May 14.
Senior Congress leaders like DK Shivakumar, have spent the past few days in Kundgol, countering the campaign of the BJP, while mounting attacks of their own. The Congress strategy is focused on BJP leader B Sriramulu’s remark on the death of Congress MLA CS Shivalli, which led to the bypolls. Sriramulu had said that Shivalli’s death was due to harassment by the JDS-Congress coalition government. The Congress is fielding Shivalli’s wife Kusuma against the BJP candidate SI Chikkanagowdar.
After approaching the Election Commission to lodge a complaint over the statement, all leaders are ensuring that the comment by Sriramulu does not go unnoticed. Meanwhile, the BJP is also set on defending the statement and said that Shivalli should have been given a ministerial birth long back.
Top BJP leaders are busy covering as much ground as possible and campaigners include BS Yeddyurappa, Sriramulu, KS Eshwarappa and Shobha Karandlaje besides Jagadish Shettar, Basavaraj Bommai and Prahlad Joshi. Yeddyurappa has also blamed the state government of ditching governance in an all out effort to win the bypolls. A majority of the votes in Kundgol, over 80,000, are from the Lingayat community and the BJP is pushing hard to consolidate these votes in its favour. BS Yeddyurappa is expected to hold a few more rallies in the coming days.
No rest for another week, BSY to cadre
BS Yeddyurappa has asked party workers not to be complacent and to work hard for another week to ensure the return of the BJP government in the state. Addressing a public rally at Sanshi village in Kundgol assembly segment, Yeddyurappa said, “The Congress believes in winning Kundgol with money and muscle power, so every worker of the BJP should be cautious and not fall prey to any temptation. A befitting reply should be given to the Congress which is pursuing such politics,” he added. BSY asked party workers to visit every house in their locality and convert 20-30 voters to the BJP fold.
HDK to campaign for Cong candidates
Bengaluru: According to the CMO, Kumaraswamy will be taking part in a campaign rally in Kundagol on Monday evening and he will be in Chincholi on Tuesday evening. JDS leaders will be taking part in the rallies.
