Chief Minister Siddaramaiah campaigning for Congress candidate C.P. Yogeshwar in Channapatna. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
After nearly two weeks of high voltage campaign amidst MUDA row, wakf land controversy, questions being raised over continuation of the government’s guarantee schemes, and attacks and counter-attacks on corruption issues that set the political narrative, the open campaign for bypolls for Channapatna, Sandur, and Shiggaon Assembly constituencies came to an end on Monday.
The key battleground among the three constituencies going for bypoll on November 13, Channapatna, saw the most high voltage political action on Monday as the State’s top leaders converged there and participated in last-minute rallies attended by thousands.
Accusations hurled
In a show of strength at the NDA rally, Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy, former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda, and former Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa attacked the Congress government to seek votes for candidate Nikhil Kumaraswamy in Channapatna. A few kilometres away, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, seeking votes for Congress candidate C.P. Yogeshwar, hit back at Mr. Gowda’s family. In high decibel verbal duel, both camps hurled accusations at each other, questioning each other’s contribution in the development.
“In the land of toys, Mr. Yogeshwar has become a Congress puppet. There is no development in the State and the government is indulging in rampant corruption,” Mr. Yediyurappa said. Mr. Gowda, holding the former Chief Minister’s hand, said: “I once clashed with him, but we are together now to unseat the corrupt Congress government.” Mr. Gowda, who had earlier urged voters to “break the arrogance of Mr. Siddaramaiah”, on Monday said: “Nikhil’s victory should break the arrogance of Mr. Shivakumar. I made Mr. Siddaramaiah the Finance Minister but I do not want to talk about him.”
‘Feudal mindset’
Hitting back at Mr. Gowda, Mr. Siddaramaiah said in the Congress rally: “He has a feudal mindset and does not allow any other Vokkaliga leader to grow. I have warned JD(S) core committee chairman G.T. Deve Gowda to come out of the party for his own good.” Mr. Siddaramaiah added: “Mr. Gowda did not like me because I come from backward classes. He does not like Dalit and Backward Classes. He is frustrated because I have become Chief Minister for the second time.”
Mr. Shivakumar, for whom the Congress’s victory in Channapatna is crucial, accused JD(S) leaders of “weeping and lying” to secure votes, and Mr. Gowda’s family has not contributed to any development.
Published - November 11, 2024 10:29 pm IST
