With the deadline for the poll campaign fast approaching, the canvassing for the byelection to Shiggaon Assembly constituency has gained momentum with political bigwigs making vote appeals through road shows, door-to-door visits, and public addresses.
On Saturday, political leaders, including present Ministers, a Union Minister, and former Ministers and legislators were found engaging in brisk campaign for their respective party candidates.
District in-charge Minister Shivanand Patil campaigned in Tavarumellalli, Kamanahalli, Vanahalli, and other villages. He said the State government had allocated ₹100 crore for development works and projects to resolve the drinking water crisis.
He alleged that MP and former Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai had failed to resolve pending issues particularly the drinking water problem. He promised that Congress candidate Yasir Ahmed Khan Pathan, being a grassroot-level worker, would always be with them to resolve their issues. Minister D. Sudhakar and former Minister Vinay Kulkarni too campaigned for Mr. Pathan at various places.
On the other hand, the BJP campaign was led by former Union Minister Basanagouda Patil Yatnal, who promised to make the whole of India a laboratory for Sanatana Dharma. Making a vote appeal for Bharath Bommai, he described what he termed as the adverse impact of the Waqf Act and how the Congress government had indulged in appeasement politics. He took a dig at Ministers Laxmi Hebbalkar, D.K. Shivakumar, R.B. Thimmapur, and others and alleged that the State was being looted by the Congress leaders.
He alleged that although Panchamasalis were included under 2D category during the BJP tenure, the present government failed to implement it and questioned the silence of Panchamasali leader Ms. Hebbalkar over the issue.
MP and former Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar too attacked the Congress for what he termed as appeasement politics. Under Mr. Siddaramaiah, corruption had spread its tentacles in Karnataka, he alleged. Along with them, Mr. Basavaraj Bommai, former Ministers Araga Jnanendra and Shankar Patil Munenakoppa, and others campaigned for the party candidate.
Meanwhile, trying to cash in on the waqf board issue, a BJP delegation visited Haranagiri village to console the family of Rudrappa Balikai, who end his life in 2022 and claimed that the board was the reason for his death.
Published – November 09, 2024 08:07 pm IST