While the Bharatiya Janata Party has commenced intense campaigning to retain Shikaripur Assembly segment, the Congress and the Janata Dal (Secular) are yet to finalise their candidates for the byelections to the Assembly.
Former Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa, who represented Shikaripur constituency had tendered his resignation to the membership of the Assembly following his election to the Lok Sabha. Mr. Yeddyurappa has been elected to the State Assembly from Shikaripur for seven times since 1983.
B.Y. Raghavendra, former MP, will be BJP’s candidate for the byelections though the party is yet to make an official announcement in this regard. In a meeting of the BJP’s Shikaripur taluk unit held recently, a unanimous resolution was passed urging the party leadership to field Mr. Raghavendra.
The BJP commenced preparations for the byelections as soon as Lok Sabha election results were announced. Speaking to The Hindu , Mr. Raghavendra said that many infrastructure upgradation works, including road widening projects and establishment of an industrial estate by the Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board in Sanda village, were initiated in the taluk when Mr. Yeddyurappa was Chief Minister. “I will seek votes on the basis of these development works. Also, youth impressed with the leadership qualities of Prime Minister Narendra Modi support the BJP,” he said.
B.C. Patil, former MLA, who represented the State Assembly from Hirekerur constituency in the past, and former MLC Shantaveerappa Gowda are aspirants for the Congress ticket.
President of Shimoga District Congress Committee R. Prasanna Kumar said that observers from Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee would hold a meeting with party activists on Friday in Shikaripur to select the candidate for the byelection.
Mr. Kumar said that the Congress has a strong base in Shikaripur. “We will seek votes by highlighting pro-poor schemes such as Anna Bhagya launched by the Congress,” he said.
The JD(S) is likely to field former bureaucrat H.T. Baligar as its candidate.
