Congress, BJP workers clash in Belagavi, Bagalkot

Workers of the Congress and the BJP came close to exchanging blows, leading to a tense situation on Dr B R Ambedkar Road in Belagavi, when candidates of both the parties contesting the elections had gathered with their supporters and were on their way to file their papers on Monday.

BJP candidate from Belagavi South Abhay Patil and from Belagavi North Anil Benake had commenced their procession from Channamma Circle, while Congress candidate Feroz Sait was to commence his procession from his election office on the Ambedkar Road. They were all on their way to the offices of the returning officers on the premises of the Belagavi City Corporation.

When the BJP candidates and their supporters were passing through Ambedkar Road, they raised slogans in favour of the party and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Congress workers and supporters, already on the road to participate in the procession of Sait, raised slogans in his favour and AICC president Rahul Gandhi. There was sloganeering from both the sides and the workers came close to exchanging blows.

The police and paramilitary forces were deployed and they separated the warring parties. As the BJP procession moved on, the tense situation was defused.

Similar scenes were witnessed in Bagalkot city, when party workers in the processions for the submitting of papers by Congress nominee, former minister H Y Meti, and former MLA Veeranna Charantimath, the BJP candidate, started arguing with and pushing each other.

They raised slogans in favour of their respective leaders. The police and paramilitary forces stepped in and resorted to lathi charge to disperse the groups.