With a week to go, BJP, Congress up the ante

With exactly a week left for the bypolls on April 9, both Congress and BJP leaders have set a frantic pace to the campaigning for bypolls to Gundlupet and Nanjangud Assembly segments. A galaxy of leaders from both national parties are touring the constituencies seeking votes in favour of their party candidates.

Gundlupet was abuzz with activity on Sunday as star campaigners Union Minister V Sadananda Gowda and Opposition leader in Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge toured villages in the taluk seeking votes for their party candidates.

Sadananda Gowda highlighted the achievements of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and former chief minister B S Yeddyurappa and sought votes for BJP candidate C S Niranjan Kumar.

He visited Garaganahalli, Hasaguli, Shettalli, Alathuru, Siddaiahanapura, Deshipura and Baragi villages on Sunday. Gowda elaborated on the various pro-people programmes initiated by Narendra Modi for the benefit of economically weaker sections. He said the various schemes implemented by B S Yeddyurappa during his tenure as chief minister are still very popular.

Taking a dig at Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Gowda said that the chief minister should respond to the problems faced by people and then seek votes. Congress has been seeking free publicity by projecting the Central schemes as the state government’s schemes, he said.

Kharge in Gundlupet

Meanwhile, Animal Husbandry Minister A Manju visited Begur, Nitte, Turalli, Tondavadi, Chikkati, Hirikati, Chikkahundi, Madralli and Veeranapura villages and sought votes for Congress candidate Mohan Kumari (Geetha Mahadev Prasad). Manju told reporters here that late minister Mahadev Prasad had strived for the development of the constituency.

“With a few works still pending, people should give an opportunity to Congress candidate Mohana Kumari to complete it,” he said. Manju also criticised BJP for spreading rumours against Congress and appealed to people not to get lured by BJP’s promises and vote for Congress.

Meanwhile, Congress leaders Mallikarjun Kharge, D K Shivakumar, U T Khader are camping in the town and chalking out plans.