Braving blazing heat, leaders sweat it out for votes

It’s a testing time for politicians who will have to reach out to voters notwithstanding the sweltering heat, ahead of the big electoral battle in Mysuru next month.

The high-voltage election has kept leaders like Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, JD(S) State president H.D. Kumaraswamy and many other politicians fully occupied with campaigning.

Despite little respite from the summer heat – April or pre-monsoon showers are awaited – those engaged in the election activity have stepped up their campaign.

The Chief Minister is shuttling between the two constituencies – Chamundeshwari and Varuna (campaigning for his son Yathindra). Mr. Siddaramaiah was among the first veteran leaders to hit the campaign trail. He is campaigning in an open-top vehicle. He is contesting from Chamundeshwari, vacating the Varuna seat for Mr. Yathindra. Declaring it to be his last election, the CM has been hectically campaigning to wrest the seat from the JD(S).

Not lagging behind, Mr. Kumaraswamy toured the constituency for three continuous days recently aiming to trounce the Chief Minister in the constituency that gave the latter political ‘birth’ and ‘rebirth’ (2006 by-poll).

The temperature has hit 35 degrees Celsius.

“Summer comes every year but elections come once in five years. If we brave the heat and slug it out, reaching out to as many voters as possible, the poll prospects will brighten. We need to seize the moment and work hard for the party’s and the candidates’ success,” said a senior politician of the district.

Roadshows and meetings have proved to be a windfall for many fruit and tender coconut vendors, especially in semi-urban and rural areas.