SHIMOGA: With the major political parties intensifying their campaigns for the Lok Sabha byelection, the Shimoga constituency has become a veritable battlefield.

While the Congress, the BJP and the Samajwadi Party have already completed the first phase of their campaign to woo voters, the Janata Dal (S) gave a boost to its campaign on Thursday with its president and former Prime Minister, H.D. Deve Gowda, spearheading it with his padayatra.

While the stakes for the Congress and the BJP are high, it is a do or die situation for the former Chief Minister S. Bangarappa, who is contesting as the Samajwadi Party candidate as the outcome is likely to decide his political career.

Outcome important

If he is elected, it will lead to political changes at least at the State level, and if he loses it will prove to be his Waterloo. It is for this reason that he has taken this election far more seriously than on previous occasions when he seemed more confident about victory.

Mr. Bangarappa, who used to bank on his personal image saying that there was no need for him to seek the support of others for electioneering, gave importance this time to other leaders of the Samajwadi Party, including its president and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister, Mulayam Singh Yadav, which has prompted his detractors to wonder if he is losing his charisma.

The Congress seems to be bent upon ensuring Mr. Bangarappa's defeat and is leaving no stone unturned in the quest for its objective. The fact that the Chief Minister, N. Dharam Singh, after spending two days on the first leg of his campaign in the constituency is going to campaign again from Friday speaks of the importance that he has attached to this election. He is likely to stay here till May 31 overseeing the party's campaign.

Improves position

The Congress candidate, Ayanur Manjunath, who has contested from the constituency in the last four Lok Sabha elections, appears to have improved his position significantly from what appeared to be a lacklustre campaign in the initial stages. The presence of senior leaders such as Mr. Dharam Singh and the KPCC President, B. Janardhana Poojary, in addition to the scores of other party leaders and workers in the constituency has boosted his morale greatly.

The BJP has not lagged behind either and has intensified the campaign throughout the constituency with the active involvement of the Sangh Parivar. The low-key campaign by the BJP has come as a surprise. Though its candidate, M.B. Bhanu Prakash, is a novice to Lok Sabha elections, he has already endeared himself to the voters with his friendly approach.

The Janata Dal (S) candidate, L.T. Thimmappa Hegde, too has taken the election seriously, and with the support of party leaders, including Mr. Deve Gowda, he is going the whole hog to woo the voters.

The presence of candidates of the JD(U), the Janata Party and independents has not made any impact on the voters so far.

With five days left for campaigning, the Shimoga constituency is all set to witness one of the fiercest Lok Sabha election campaigns ever.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Karnataka

News: Front Page | National | Tamil Nadu | Andhra Pradesh | Karnataka | Kerala | New Delhi | Other States | International | Opinion | Business | Sport | Miscellaneous | Engagements |
Advts: Classifieds | Employment | Obituary | Updates: Breaking News |