Karnataka   

Vatal faces a tough fight

Vatal Nagaraj

KALANAHUNDI (CHAMARAJANAGAR DISTRICT): The president of the Kannada Chaluvali Vatal Paksha (KCVP), Vatal Nagaraj, who is contesting for the seventh time from Chamarajanagar, is campaigning vigorously in the villages of his constituency with his daughter.

The dominant Uppara community, which has been supporting Mr. Vatal till 2004, is in a dilemma over whom to support this time as the Congress, Janata Dal (S) and Bahujan Samaj Party, have also fielded candidates from the community. Mr. Vatal was elected thrice from Chamarajanagar in 1989, 1994 and 2004.

Mr. Nagaraj, who contested the election for the first time in 1967, did not join the Congress when the former Chief Minister Nijalingappa invited him to join the party.

Despite a stiff competition this time, Mr. Vatal is confident of getting re-elected.

He told The Hindu here that it was the people of Chamarajanagar constituency who had invited him to contest from there because of his concern for issues related to the State and its language. “Besides, I have worked for the development of Chamarajanagar, and because of me, this backward taluk got the district status,” he claimed.

“We still need to do a lot to protect the interests of Kannadigas as of the five-crore population in the State, two crore are Tamilians and Malayalis. Voters in my constituency have understood the need of my presence in the Assembly and they will support me,” he said.

“The KCVP has fielded 20 candidates in various parts of the State, where the interests of Kannada and Kannadigas are facing a threat. The party has fielded a visually-challenged person in Shiggoan,” he said.

He was happy with the restrictions imposed by the Election Commission. A level-playing ground had been created for small parties, which could not compete with “money and muscle power” of major political parties, he said.

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