Total of 392 candidates in 67 wards; more than three candidates in most wards
Elections to the Hubli-Dharwad Municipal Corporation council are likely to witness multi-cornered contests in a majority of wards, thanks to the presence of small parties and Independent candidates, in addition to candidates from national and regional parties.
There are a total of 392 candidates in 67 wards. Except for three wards, every ward has over three candidates.
The highest number of candidates are in wards 1 and 65 (both have 11), followed by ten candidates each in wards 12 and 40.
Campaigning received a boost after visits from several leaders, such as Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar, who held public meetings and padayatras to meet voters in Dharwad and Hubli on Thursday.
He appealed to the voters not to disappoint him.
B. Sriramulu, former Minister and president of BSR Congress, also met voters and made a similar appeal, followed by Kannada actor Shruti, who joined the campaigning for Karnataka Janata Paksha (KJP) candidates, here on Friday. The actor appealed to women to support KJP president B.S. Yeddyurappa.
Political parties are now struggling with the problem of inadequate manpower for election-related work, perhaps due to a lack of preparation for the polls. They have now turned to youth clubs and women’s organisations, and women’s self-help groups in particular. A senior leader from a political party said members of such organisations were being offered lucrative sums by candidates to participate in campaigns.
Shettar, Sriramulu join campaigning, appeal to voters Parties urge youth clubs, women’s groups to help