JOIN USPepping up party cadre, DVS style
Former chief minister D V Sadananda Gowda has been meeting BJP workers in Bangalore North from March 8, the day the party officially announced his candidature for the Lok Sabha constituency, and has so far met 20,000 partymen who will work for him till the poll day.
On Monday, he held as many as 13 workers’ conventions in KR Puram completing his visits to all the eight assembly segments in the Lok Sabha constituency.
Gowda has been starting his day early leaving his Sanjaynagar residence at around 8 am only to return after 10 pm. On Monday, he held his first convention at Bhattarahalli in KR Puram addressing around 1,200 party workers.
Former MLA of K R Puram, N S Nandeesh Reddy, takes the initiative of introducing the workers to Gowda. “Sir, meet Shekar... He is Suresh...They are old timers and dedicated,” Reddy says. Gowda shakes hands with them, flashing his trademark smile. “Please do not feel bad if I do not remember all your names. Just remind me the next time I meet you,” he says.
The next stop is Basavanapura. BJP corporators of the jurisdiction are present at the meetings.
He visits the residence of Devasandra ward corporator Manjula Devi, whose husband Srinivas, was hacked to death recently.
After paying his homage, Gowda and his convoy move to Ramamurthynagar. The workers’ convention here has been organised at Sainik Kalyana Mantapa. Around 500 workers have gathered. S Muniraju, legislator of Dasarahalli, which also comes under Bangalore North, is also present.
Gowda says, “Please give me an opportunity to serve you for the next five years. I will not disappoint you, give me your next few weeks, I will give you my next five years,” he says.
Soon after the function, several members in the audience mob Gowda keen to have themselves photographed with them. Gowda obliges.
The convoy then winds its way through the narrow roads of Horamavu Agara to reach Venugopala Swamy Temple. The waiting workers burst crackers and raise slogans. He addresses the gathering seeking votes.
Interacting with Deccan Herald, Gowda says in the second leg of his canvassing, which he plans to commence on March 20, after filing his nomination papers, will switch to door-to-door
campaign.
At 22.28 lakh voters, Bangalore North has the highest number of voters among all the constituencies in the State.
Gowda wants to put the bitter tug- of- war with his colleague R Ashoka for candidature from the constituency behind him. He also does not consider himself an outsider in the constituency. He considers himself a State leader. “I have worked as the BJP State president for four and half years and the party came to power during my tenure.
I have worked as the chief minister. During these two responsibilities I did not confine myself to any constituency. Such a person can have the opportunity to contest from any constituency,” he insists.