The Mandya Lok Sabha constituency on Sunday witnessed hectic political campaigning with political leaders trying to get public support for their candidates.
Union Minister M. Mallikarjun Kharge sought votes for Congress candidate Ramya in Malavalli.
Mr. Kharge criticised the Janata Dal(S) for joining communal forces [BJP] to face the Congress in the August 21 byelections.
Addressing party workers at Poorigali village in Malavalli, the Union Minister said that the Janata Dal(S) has “no ethics and secular values”.
It has entered into an unholy alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to face the byelections, Mr. Kharge said.
Mr. Kharge referred to several popular projects initiated by both the Union and State governments to benefit economically weaker sections of society.
“The Congress has always aimed for the welfare of the poor and downtrodden,” Mr. Kharge said and urged the voters to elect the Congress candidate.
Ms. Ramya, H.K. Patil, S.R. Patil, Baburao Chinchansur, Ugrappa, Allama Prabhu Patil, K.C. Kondiah and P.M. Narendra Swamy were present.
Meanwhile, Housing Minister and Mandya district in-charge M.H. Ambareesh went on a door-to-door campaign in several villages in Kothathi and Thaggahali gram panchayat limits.
Women voters
Senior Congress leaders Motamma and Bimba Raikar tried to woo women voters in the vicinity of the Housing Board Colony and in several wards in Mandya city.
Ms. Ramya’s mother and party worker Ranjitha campaigned in several localities in Pandavapura.
Congress sources said that Public Works Department Minister H.C. Mahadevapa, who has been asked to oversee the party’s campaign in Mandya, and his ministerial colleagues Kimmane Ratnakar, Sharan Prakash Patil, M.B. Patil and S.R. Patil participated in public programmes at Srirangapatna, K.R. Nagar and other places in the constituency.
Janata Dal(S)
Meanwhile, a host of Janata Dal(S) leaders participated in a series of campaigning activities in the district on Sunday.
MLA N. Cheluvaraya Swamy participated in campaigning activities in Nagamangala. Likewise, party candidate C.S. Puttaraju staged road shows in K.R. Nagar Assembly segment which falls under Mysore district.
MLAs D.C. Thammanna, K.C. Narayana Gowda and A.B. Ramesh Babu campaigned for Mr. Puttaraju in Maddur, K.R. Pet and Srirangapatna, respectively. The former MLA M. Srinivas conducted door-to-door campaign in Keregodu, while another former MLA K. Annadani canvassed in Malavalli.
Mr. Narayana Gowda told presspersons that the former Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy will campaign in K.R. Pet on Monday.
Wards
Janata Dal(S) sources said that the party has deployed 15 local leaders in each wards in the city to campaign for Mr. Puttaraju. The party organised a minorities’ meet at the Silver Jubilee Park here where speakers told the audience that they will work for the underprivileged sections of society.
Several leaders from the minority wing of the party were present. Muslims from Guthalu and other areas attended the programme.
