BENGALURU: With the Election Commission expected to announce Hiriyur Assembly by-election schedule shortly, Chief Minister DK Shivakumar has stepped up consultations with the party leaders to chalk out the Congress strategy to retain the constituency.
On Wednesday, Minister for Scheduled Tribes Welfare and Chitradurga district in-charge T Raghumurthy called on Shivakumar at his Sadashivanagar residence and held discussions on preparations for the bypoll. Senior Congress leader N Chandrappa was also present.
Raghumurthy conveyed Deepavali greetings to the Chief Minister and presented him with a copy of Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi’s autobiography.
Sources said the discussions focused on the party’s organisational preparedness and the need to ensure unity among local leaders and workers, particularly in view of the possibility of the NDA fielding a strong candidate.
Shivakumar is understood to have stressed the need for a coordinated campaign and intensified grassroots outreach. He also reportedly asked the party leaders to take the achievements of the government and the implementation of its welfare guarantees to the people.
Hiriyur seat fell vacant following the demise of sitting MLA and minister D Sudhakar, necessitating the by-election.
