Karnataka - Hubli-Dharwad   

Flurry of political activities in Dharwad

Demands aired: Supporters of BJP ticket aspirants with the former Minister Jagadish Shettar in Hubli on Sunday.

HUBLI: There has been a flurry of political activities in Dharwad district though the Election Commission is yet to announce the dates for the assembly elections in the State.

Most of the political parties have begun their election campaign. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) started its election campaign through a farmers’ rally in Hubli which was inaugurated by Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi.

The competition for securing the party ticket has intensified with supporters of aspirants from various parts of the district meeting the former Minister Jagadish Shettar, who the in-charge of the party’s district affairs, on Sunday. The Janata Dal (Secular) will be organising “Jaitra Yatre”, which will be led by the former Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy, in Hubli. The programme, which was scheduled to be held here on March 25, has been postponed to March 29 as “Ranga Panchami” will be celebrated in Hubli on Tuesday.

It has become a sort of a challenge for former Ministers and JD(S) leaders Basavaraj Horatti and P.C. Siddanagoudar to strengthen the party in the district as many leaders, including former MP Vijay Sankeshwar, have left the party.

Youth leaders such as Gururaj Hunasimarad have told the party supremo H.D. Deve Gowda that it would be difficult to build the party in the district unless the activists were given due importance.

Congress workers are busy making preparations for the visit of general secretary of the All India Congress Committee Rahul Gandhi from Wednesday.

Mr. Gandhi’s visit has forced the Congress leaders in the district to bury their differences, at least for the time being.

Although Mr. Gandhi will not be addressing any political rally in the district during his tour, Congress leaders are hoping that his visit will help them in further strengthening the party in the district.

Selected Youth Congress workers from Dharwad, Gadag, Haveri, Belgaum and Uttara Kannada districts will be interacting with Mr. Gandhi during his visit.

Addressing presspersons here on Saturday, former Minister R.V. Deshpande said that members of the task force set up by Mr. Gandhi had reached Dharwad and were working on his itinerary. Mr. Gandhi will arrive in Hubli on Wednesday evening. The next day he will visit the NTTF Technical Training Centre in Dharwad and interact with students. Later, he would tour various places in the twin cities and interact with people, he said.

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