Development assumes centre stage in Bijapur campaign

Vijayapura: Bijapur’s coalition candidate Sunita Chavan is a busy person, meeting party workers, local leaders, holding party meetings, addressing public meetings etc. She says she has struck a chord with the voters.

This is how she interacts with the voters: "I am from this district. I am like the daughter of your house. For the first time, our party (JD-S) has given opportunity to a woman to contest. Allow me to serve you by electing me as your MP. Vote for the only woman invoting machine.”

Her candidature was announced a little late but that has only speeded up Sunita’s routine. With electioneering picking up as senior leaders from both JD(S) and Congress campaigning for her, Sunita says she is confident of her victory.

BJP candidate and Union minister Ramesh Jigajinagi says he is sure of his win. "I am not publicity crazy. I have brought significant amount of funds to the constituency. I have noticed enthusiasm particularly among youngsters to work for Modi, which means they will strive for my success."

Jigajinagi, a Dalit (Left section), hopes to win the hearts of the Dalit (Right section) which is unhappy that the Congress-JD(S) chose a Banjara as candidate. Dalit Right and Left, and Banjaras have considerable strength to upset calculations of any candidate in Bijapur.

Good coordination

Congress MLC Prakash Rathod, who lost to Jigajinagi in the last two Lok Sabha elections, is confident of the combine’s win.

Speaking to DH at his residence, Rathod said: "The coalition given has given everything possible to the district. The home minister, health minister, horticulture minister, parliamentary secretary are all from this district. The voters know all this."

He remarked: "There is anti-incumbency against Jigajinagi. He has the dubious distinction of not asking a single question in Parliament. Vijayapura gets drinking water once in eight days. As a minister in charge of drinking water, he could have solved this, but did not."

Rathod says Vijapaura is a historic place having several monuments but is not considered as a heritage city. "The minister has utterly failed in ensuring this. An airport here is a long-standing demand, the state government has given 600 acres for this, but till today, the Centre has not done anything in this regard. Now time has come to send Jigajinagi home.”