BENGALURU: Campaigning for the November 13 bypolls to Channapatna, Shiggaon, and Sandur Assembly constituencies has peaked, with leaders of the Big 3 extensively seeking votes for their candidates. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, DyCM DK Shivakumar, Union Minister HD Kumaraswamy, and state BJP chief BY Vijayendra have hit the campaign trail with more aggression and are targeting each other over various issues, including the Waqf land and MUDA site issues.
In Shiggaon, Siddaramaiah, campaigning for Yasir Ahmed Khan Pathan, reiterated that despite the government issuing an order to withdraw the notices issued to farmers by the Waqf Board, BJP is indulging in petty politics. Hitting back, BJP MP and former CM Basavaraj Bommai, who campaigned extensively for his son Bharat, the BJP candidate, accused Siddaramaiah of “making a U-turn after committing a mistake.”
Shivakumar, along with his cabinet colleagues Ramalinga Reddy, Byrathi Suresh, MC Sudhakar, and Venkatesh, campaigned for CP Yogeshwara in Channapatna on Monday. Shivakumar and Kumaraswamy continued with their war of words. “Kumaraswamy became a CM from Channapatna, but he failed to respond to the problems of the people. He has lost his right to seek votes here. Where is the evidence of his work (‘sakshi gudde ‘ in Kannada)? It is better if he leaves the constituency,” the DyCM said.
In a sharp response, Kumaraswamy claimed that his works, including concretising roads in 90% of the villages, are visible to the people. “It is not for him (Shivakumar) to decide who should leave... It is for the people of Channapatna to take a call. What proof does he need? Does he even understand the meaning of ‘Sakshi Gudde’? Are the rocks he illegally looted and sent abroad the ‘proof’ he is asking for? Should I provide evidence of the state’s natural resources being exploited and looted,” Kumaraswamy thundered.
Yogeshwara alleged that Kumaraswamy cheated him and fielded his son Nikhil as an NDA candidate. He asked the voters to put an end to the dynasty politics of the Gowda family.
Meanwhile, the NDA candidate from Channapatna, Nikhil, played the emotional card and urged voters to give him an opportunity to serve them as he had lost two consecutive elections. “I am more hopeful than ever of winning by a significant margin.
People are talking about the work done by my father Kumaraswamy and grandfather Deve Gowda,” he added. JDS patriarch Deve Gowda, who was scheduled to launch his campaign for Nikhil on Monday, deferred it to Tuesday as he was not keeping well, said sources.
Meanwhile, Nikhil’s wife Revathi also campaigned for him in Channapatna. “Women workers brought her into the campaign. Revathi’s mother is also from Samandipura village in Channapatna taluk. But we won’t try to cash in on that during the campaign,” Nikhil said.