BJP has no winning candidate, says DKS

Belagavi: The BJP had no winning candidates and so it has given the ticket for the West Teachers’ constituency to Basavaraj Horatti after taking him from the JD(S) at the last moment, DK Shivakumar, Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee chief, said on Wednesday.
He was addressing a convention of Congress workers at Maratha Mandir Convention Hall here before the filing of nomination papers of party candidates — Prakash Hukkeri for the North-West Teachers Constituency and Sunil Sank for North-West Graduates’ constituency.
“Even they don’t have candidates in Hassan, Mandya and Mysuru. Therefore, they have fielded all new faces,” he ridiculed the BJP.
“For the NW Teachers’ constituency, we have given a much experienced and proactive candidate who has served from the zilla panchayat to the Assembly and parliament, apart from handling several portfolios as a minister,” Shivakumar said.
He told the workers that they must convey to the voters “what work was done by the Congress for the teachers' community so that they make Congress candidates victorious”.
The Congress chief instructed them to meet teachers and graduates in person to seek votes.
Shivakumar said that the mature voters know that government posts are being sold seeking a 40% commission for development work.
This BJP government in the state has indulged in corruption and it is doing everything for money, he alleged.
“There is nothing impossible in politics, but one should have that zeal. It’s an art. The public mandate is final,” he said.
KPCC campaigning committee chairman MB Patil said this was not the time to just blame the corrupt BJP.
“It’s a time to work and make both candidates victorious. That onus is on the workers,” Patil said.
State Congress working president Satish Jarkiholi, MLA Laxmi Hebbalkar and candidates Prakash Hukkeri and Sunil Sank spoke at the event.
KPCC working president Eshwar Khandre, MLAs Ganesh Hukkeri, Mahantesh Koujalagi, former ministers Umashri, Vinay Kulkarni, AB Patil, DB Inamdar, HY Meti were present.