Campaigning picks up pace
Electioneering picked up pace for the November 30 bypoll for the Bellary Rural Assembly constituency, with heavyweights hitting the campaign trail on Monday.
Actress Tara provided the star power to BJP’s campaign, Union Minister for Labour Mallikarjuna Kharge lent weight to the canvassing for votes by the Congress. Tara joined Mayor Parvathi Indushekhar, Manjamma, former Vice-president of the Zilla Panchayat and other party leaders on their campaign trail and sought votes for party nominee P Gadilingappa, in various wards of Cowl Bazaar. They also visited Halakundi, Sajivarayanakote and Mincheri villages for campaigning.
V S Ugrappa, K C Kondaiah, MP Anil Lad and former minister Allum Veerabhadrappa accompanied Kharge, while campaigning for B Ramprasad at Chellagurki and other villages. Ugrappa appealed to the people not to vote for the BJP, which had given shelter to Sriramulu and G Janardhana Reddy, both named in the Lokayukta report on illegal mining.
‘Ore plundered’
He said the duo was responsible for the looting of iron ore worth thousands of crores of rupees in the district, something that could have helped brighten the lives of people in Bellary district.
Kharge said the BJP government was not paying heed to the drought situation in the State, even as the people were reeling under drinking water and power problems.
Ministers V Somanna, Govind Karjol and Varthur Prakash campaigned for BJP candidate Gadilingappa at Cowl Bazaar, Belagal, Moka and other places.
The party’s State President K S Eshwarappa, district incharge Minister Balachandra Jarkiholi and others too took part in the campaigning.
JD(S) MLA Zameer Ahmed came to the city on Sunday night. He visited the homes of a few Muslim leaders and appealed to them to support Independent candidate Sriramulu.
Electioneering today
On Tuesday, Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda and former chief minister B S Yeddyurappa will campaign in the constituency for the BJP candidate.
Campaigning for the Congress candidate will be Siddaramaiah, Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly and KPCC chief G Parameshwara. JD(S) State President H D Kumaraswamy and former minister Basavaraj Horatti will campaign for Sriramulu.
