For ex-CMs, polls are a pill for all ills

BSY, HDK fit for campaigning, but not for court hearing

But people in Koppal Assembly constituency, where a bypoll is scheduled to be held on September 26, are asking a pertinent question.

“How is it that the two leaders are in the pink of health to campaign for the candidates of their respective parties, criss-crossing the constituency which has potholed and dusty roads?” is the query that the people in the town are asking the former chief ministers.

Kumaraswamy is seeking votes for JD(S) candidate Pradeepgowda Malipatil and Yeddyurappa is canvassing for BJP candidate Sanganna Karadi, who quit the JD(S) and his Assembly membership to join the saffron party, thus necessitating the byelection.

Yeddyurappa announced on September 9 that he would tour the villages in the constituency to ascertain to what extent the schemes initiated during his tenure as chief minister had reached the people. Kumaraswamy is undertaking a 10-day tour of the constituency to ensure his candidate’s victory. The people are questioning the dichotomy adopted by them.

Speaking to Deccan Herald, senior Congress leader B L Shankar said it was not right on the part of the two leaders to try staying away from court.

“Their words and action should be a model for others. But the two leaders have lost the moral authority to speak about others,” Shankar said.

Vittappa Gorantli, contesting with the support of the federation of progressive organisations, said one can only expect Kumaraswamy and Yeddyurappa to cheat the voters when they can hoodwink the courts.