Karnataka Bypolls: R Ashoka takes RR Nagar fight to D K Shivakumar

Revenue Minister R Ashoka, who is helming the BJP’s campaign in Rajarajeshwarinagar, said on Wednesday that the saffron party would win the November 3 bypoll easily, taking the challenge straight to state Congress president D K Shivakumar.

Ashoka has been holding a series of meetings with party workers to drum up support for disqualified legislator Munirathna, who is the BJP’s candidate for the Rajarajeshwarinagar bypoll.

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“We will win by a margin of 40,000-60,000 votes,” Ashoka told reporters after Munirathna filed his nomination papers. The minister said he represented the erstwhile Uttarahalli constituency three times before Rajarajeshwarinagar was carved out of it in 2008. “I know every inch of this segment and we’re 100% confident of winning.”

Ashoka expressed confidence of winning even as there is talk that a section of party workers and supporters is unhappy with Munirathna’s candidature. It remains to be seen what BJP’s 2018 candidate Tulsi Muniraju Gowda, who lost against Munirathna, will do during the bypoll.

The RR Nagar is said to have a sizeable number of Vokkaligas, the community that both Ashoka and Shivakumar belong to.

Shivakumar and his brother Bangalore Rural MP D K Suresh are looking to retain the Rajarajeshwarinagar constituency.

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“Shivakumar’s games are confined to Kanakapura,” Ashoka said.

“Because of Munirathna, we weren’t able to win. Now that he has come to the BJP and helped us come to power, we will win easily. People’s love and trust is with the BJP and Munirathna,” he said.

'Munirathna ensured development'

Ashoka claimed that Munirathna had ensured development of the constituency in terms of roads, streetlights and water. “People will vote for development.”

Speaking to reporters, Shivakumar said the Congress’ candidate Kusuma Hanumantharayappa was young and educated. “People here voted for Congress twice in a row. This time, we will win with a higher margin,” he said.

“This bypoll has nothing to do with the stability of the B S Yediyurappa government or the Modi administration. But, we want voters to send a message on what (BJP) promised as opposed to what they’re doing now,” he added.

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Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Siddaramaiah, who accompanied Kusuma while she filed her nomination papers, said Munirathna jumped ship to the BJP for the “greed” of power and money.

“Also, there were cases against him, so he went to BJP to save himself,” he said.

“Munirathna won not as himself, but as the Congress’ candidate. Just because Munirathna cheated the Congress, voters won’t switch sides,” he said.