Invoking the name of late S. Bangarappa, former Chief Minister, at an campaign rally at his native place Sorab on Monday, leaders of JD(S)-Congress coalition appealed to the electorate to pay tribute to the deceased leader by ensuring the victory of his son Madhu Bangarappa in the byelection.
Addressing the rally, Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy reminded the voters of the defeat Mr. Bangarappa had to face in the 2009 election against BJP’s B.Y. Raghavendra. It is unfortunate that the political career of Mr. Bangarappa who strived for the uplift of the poor and the oppressed ended on a sad note, he said, and reiterated, “If Madhu Bangarappa wins the byelection, the victory would be dedicated to his father.” Mr. Kumaraswamy said Madhu Bangarappa would be fielded by the coalition as the candidate for Shivamogga parliamentary seat for the general election in 2019 too.
Accusing B.S. Yeddyurappa, president, BJP State unit, of trying to destabilise his government, Mr. Kumaraswamy said, “When Mr. Yeddyurappa was in power, he had amassed wealth by misusing power and thereby had betrayed the voters of Shivamogga district who had reposed faith on him. The voters should teach him a lesson for betraying them, by ensuring the defeat of his son Mr. Raghavendra who is in the fray as a BJP candidate.”
Expressing optimism that the crop loan waiver scheme would help the JD(S)-Congress coalition win the byelections for three parliamentary seats and two Assembly segments, he said the State government was committed to fulfilling its promises on the waiver. The coalition dispensation would hold a convention of farmers in Bengaluru in November in which credit-clearance certificate would be handed over to beneficiaries of the loan waiver scheme, he said.
Lashing out at the National Democratic Alliance government at the Centre for the way in which it handled the recent developments related to Central Bureau of Investigation, he said the credibility of CBI has taken a beating owing to the interference by BJP leaders in its functioning.
Speaking on the occasion, G.T. Deve Gowda, Minister for Higher Education, said that impressed with the struggles launched by JD(S) to protect the interests of the farmers, Mr. Bangarappa had joined the party. The JD(S) leaders would put in committed efforts to ensure the victory of his son Madhu Bangarappa in the byelection.