The Congress launched its campaign for the Lok Sabha election in the Dakshina Kannada constituency by organising the first of its series of padayatras (rally on foot) on Friday here.
Former Union Minister and Senior Congressman B. Janardhana Poojary, whose name was announced as party candidate on Thursday, is set to take on BJP’s incumbent Nalin Kumar Kateel.
The CPI(M) has decided to field Yadav Shetty while the Aam Aadmi Party has announced former bureaucrat M.R. Vasudeva as its candidate.
The padyatra, which began with a public meeting at Thokkottu on the outskirts of the city, went through the city and ended with another public meeting at Kuloor. Both meetings were addressed by Mr. Poojary.
The party would organise such padayatras in all the eight Assembly constituencies, forming part of the Lok Sabha constituency. Friday’s padayatra route formed part of three Assembly constituencies: Mangalore, Mangalore South, and Mangalore North. Traffic was affected when it passed through Jyothi Circle and Hampankatta.
Addressing the gathering at Thokkottu, Mr. Poojary said the incumbent hardly had any performance to boast of and hence the BJP was talking only about the achievements and ideas of its prime ministerial candidate M. Narendra Modi. Thus it was a fight between him and Modi. The BJP had pointed out that Mr. Kateel had defeated Mr. Poojary in 2009 and he should first demonstrate he can win the seat first.
Health Minister U.T. Khader addressed gathering.
Similar padayatras have been planned in Bantwal on March 15, in Moodbidri on March 16, Belthangady on March 17, Puttur on March 18 and in Sullia on March 19.
