Though AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge is not contesting from his home district, this election is being termed as a contest between the Congress veteran and the BJP. Gulbarga Lok Sabha BJP candidate Dr Umesh Jadhav and Congress candidate Radhakrishna Doddamani.
This election is being projected as one between Mallikarjun Kharge and PM Modi, or Mallikarjun Kharge and Dr Umesh Jadhav. What is your response?
That is completely wrong. This election is between a performing party and a non-performer Union government and non-performer MP of Gulbarga.
You are new to electoral politics and are contesting for the first time...
Though I am contesting the election for the first time, the political field is not new to me. I have been helping my father-in-law in elections for more than two decades, and I know about election politics.
Did you expect you would become a candidate one day?
No, I had not dreamt of it. As my father-in-law Mallikarjun Kharge would be busy with campaigning throughout the country as he is AICC president, Congress leaders advised me to contest the election. I am contesting with the blessings from my father-in-law and mother in-law (also his sister) and brother-in-law Priyank Kharge.
How is the people’s response during campaigning?
The response from voters is very encouraging. People were thankful to the Congress government for implementing the five guarantees and were telling me about them wherever I go. Apart from this, amendment to Article 371J is helping me as my father-in-law and other senior Congress leaders put in all efforts to bring in the amendment. My father-in-law’s work in the constituency is also a blessing for me.
Do you have any vision for the development of the constituency, if you get elected?
Yes, I have plans for the development of Gulbarga constituency. I have plans for all sectors. I will place my plans before the public within 2-3 days.
How confident are you about winning?
Victory is mine. Tell me why people will vote for Dr Umesh Jadhav. What work has he done for the constituency in the last five years? People will judge by the work of the party and MP. People know I am a worker and my party works for the common man.
