The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : They slog it out on the last day

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Friday, May 09, 2008
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They slog it out on the last day

Bangalore Bureau

Candidates indulge in aggressive campaign to woo voters

BANGALORE: In a last-minute effort to reach out to the voters, candidates from major political parties took to roadshows, intensified door-to-door campaigning and addressed group meetings on Thursday as electioneering for the first phase of the Assembly elections came to an end.

Accompanied by senior leaders of their respective parties, the candidates went around their constituencies in open jeeps/vans while their slogan-shouting supporters followed them in a procession.

Former Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy of the Janata Dal (Secular), who was among the political stalwarts who campaigned in the city, addressed a public meeting at Kengeri Satellite Town and sought votes for Panchalingaiah, party candidate from Yeshwantapur.

The BJP added a touch of glamour to its campaign. Popular television artiste Smriti Irani and Kannada actor Madan Patel, and the BJP general secretary H.N. Ananth Kumar made a whirlwind tour of C.V. Ramannagar, Sarvagnanagar, Pulikeshinagar, BTM Layout, Shivajinagar and Hebbal constituencies in an open jeep.

While Janata Dal (United) president Sharad Yadav addressed an election rally at Anekal, Union Minister of State for Defence M.M. Pallam Raju accompanied the Congress candidate from Jayanagar, M. Suresh, in a door-to-door campaign in 9th Block, Jayanagar. Another Union Minister Dagubatti Purandeswari campaigned for the Congress in the Byatarayanapura constituency

The Congress candidate for Govindarajanagar, V. Somanna, who began his day quite early, visited parks and sought votes from morning joggers. In Chickpet, the supporters of Congress nominee R.V. Devaraj burst firecrackers at Siddapur Colony to herald that he was on a padayatra.

While the Congress rebel candidate from Jayanagar, K.S. Samiullah, and his supporters took out two-wheeler rally, the JD (S) candidate from Rajarajeshwarinagar, Hanumantharayappa, went on a padayatra accompanied by his drumbeating supporters. The BJP had fanned out 50 groups for campaigning, one headed by BJP candidate R. Ashok’s wife, in the constituency.

G. Padamavathi, Congress candidate for Rajajinagar, caught the attention with her campaign. However, some candidates preferred a low-key campaign. For instance, the JD (S) candidate from Malleswaram, Shankaranna, led a small group of followers in a padayatra without any fanfare.

Summing up how his campaigning was on the final day, the BJP candidate for the Rajajinagar constituency, S. Suresh Kumar, said: “We scored as many runs as possible in the slog overs by visiting all the wards in the constituency.”

The Congress candidate from the Basavanagudi constituency, K. Chandrashekar, said he held several group meetings on Thursday and his final appeal to the voters was: “Do not sell your future and dreams. Vote for the candidate with merit.”

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