BENGALURU: With the die being cast for the October 30 bypolls to Sindagi and Hanagal Assembly segments, the BJP, under the stewardship of Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, will be looking to win both seats and send out a clear message.
Party state general secretary and MLC N Ravi Kumar said, “We have activated all the booths in the two constituencies. We have identified booth-level presidents and given them name plates and boards to be displayed outside their houses.
One round of meeting was under the leadership of state president Nalin Kumar Kateel to discuss both these constituencies soon after the state executive committee meeting. We will be holding more meetings in Bengaluru and also at the constituency level. Once the responsibilities are assigned, the electioneering is expected to pick up pace.” The BJP is looking at Ramesh Bhusnur, who lost last time in Sindagi, and could field a new candidate in Hanagal.
The main opposition party, the Congress, held a meeting on Wednesday to discuss strategies for the two constituencies. Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee president DK Shivakumar told TNIE that they will hold meetings on Thursday and Friday to discuss Hanagal and Sindagi separately. After the recent bypoll win in Maski, the Congress seems confident of bagging these two seats also. Shivakumar said, “We are confident. We will go to the voters highlighting the government’s failures regarding Covid-19 management and other issues apart from corruption.’’
KPCC working president Saleem Ahmed said, “Shivakumar, CLP leader Siddaramaiah and other leaders will be present at the strategic meetings on Hanagal on Thursday and Sindagi on Friday, where they will finalize the candidates and assign responsibilities.’’
The Congress is more or less sure about its Sindagi candidate in Ashok Managuli, son of former MLA M C Managuli who passed away. The party will finalize the candidate for Hanagal after Thursday’s meeting and seek the central leadership’s approval.
Meanwhile, JDS leader Bandeppa Kashempur told TNIE that they will discuss the party’s candidate for Hanagal after the four-day workshop at Bidadi concludes. He said Niyaz Khan has been chosen as the candidate for Sindagi about three-and-half-months ago and he has held almost 800 meetings across 150 villages. Party leader HD Kumaraswamy will fix responsibilities for leaders right from the booth level, he added.