The Congress is banking on the ‘betrayal’ and ‘sympathy’ cards, while the BJP is dependent on the development mantra for the byelections to Maski and Basavakalyan Assembly seats.
The grand old party has been using the betrayal card in byelections held after the BJP came to power by overthrowing the Congress-JD(S) coalition, against the 17 turncoats from the Congress and JD(S) who helped the BJP in the endeavour.
At an election rally recently, leader of the Opposition in the Assembly Siddaramaiah alleged that BJP candidate Pratapgouda had sold himself for Rs 30 crore by betraying the Congress which made him MLA twice.
In fact, the Maski contest is one between turncoats as Congress candidate Basanagouda Turvihal has shifted his loyalty from the saffron party, which denied him the ticket.
In Basavakalyan segment, the Congress is looking to encash sympathy by fielding Mala Narayanrao, the widow of B Narayanrao, the legislator whose death due to Covid-19 last year necessitated the byelection.
The party is struggling to keep the votes of the Muslim community intact as the JD(S) has fielded a Muslim candidate. Narayanrao was the first non-Lingayat and Maratha MLA from this segment.
Also Read | No cakewalk for BJP in Basavakalyan bypoll
BJP leaders Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa, Social Welfare Minister Sriramulu and others are trying to woo voters to the BJP in Maski, saying that Pratapgouda will become minister if he wins the bypolls, thus helping in the development of the constituency.
In Basavakalyan, the BJP is facing several problems after fielding Sharanu Salagar, an outsider, by neglecting 18 ticket aspirants in the segment, said a party leader.
He added that top leaders of the party, including a number of ministers deputed for the campaign, are leaving no stone unturned to ensure victory for Salagar, saying it will address the development issues here.
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