JOIN USB Y Raghavendra, the BJP candidate who won the by-election to the Shikaripur Assembly constituency, has attributed his victory to the development works undertaken in the constituency during his tenure as Shimoga MP and when his father B S Yeddyurappa was chief minister.
Speaking to newsmen on Monday, Raghavendra conceded that his margin of victory was thinner than his father’s in the 2013 Assembly elections. He claimed that the ruling Congress party “misused” its power.
“But I would try to win over the people of Shikaripur by working for its overall development,” he said. Although all top leaders of the Congress party canvassed extensively in the constituency to defeat the BJP in the by-election, the voters didn’t let the BJP down, he added. “We will always remain indebted to them. I will carry on my father’s work.”
But Yeddyurappa said that he was not pleased with the result of by-elections to the three Assembly segments. As the BJP lost two seats and won just one—that too by a narrow margin—he would tour entire Karnataka in the near future to strengthen the party and help it regain power.
“We had expected to win in Shikaripur by a big margin. But the ruling Congress party’s political gimmick and the support it got from the JD(S) reduced our margin of victory.
Still, voters of this constituency have not les us down. The Congress’ defeat in Shikaripur must have disappointed Chief Minister Siddaramaiah who extensively canvassed here in the two last days.”
‘BJP used money power’
In contrast, Shimoga district in-charge minister Kimmane Ratnakar accused the BJP of “using its money power” to sway the voters. “We lost in Shikaripur because we could not face the BJP’s money power.”
Congress candidate H S Shantaveerappa Gouda said “the BJP distributed cash to voters and money was its weapon.”