Hosapete, headquarters of Vijayanagar Assembly constituency, witnessed multiple rallies on Monday as the candidates of the Congress, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Janata Dal (Secular) mobilised people during the filing of nomination papers.
BJP candidate Anand Singh, who had earlier said that that he would file his nomination papers in a simple manner, mobilised a huge crowd of his supporters to show his strength. Dressed in traditional attire and arriving by a bullock-cart, Mr. Singh first offered special prayers at Vadakarayaswamy Temple in the city before leading the procession to the office of the Returning Officer.
He was accompanied by Deputy Chief Minister Govind Karjol, legislators Rajugouda and Halappachar and other party leaders. Over 8,000 people and several cultural teams playing traditional music instruments participated in the procession that marched through the Main Bazaar, Masjid, Madakari Nayaka Circle and Valmiki Circle.
“Anand Singh will win the polls with an impressive margin of over 50,000 votes. The constituency is seeing good development under the B.S. Yediyurappa government. The one who has filed his nomination papers as BJP rebel candidate would also support Anand Singh,” Deputy Chief Minister Govind Karjol said after Mr. Singh filed his nomination papers.
Senior Congressman Venkatarao Ghorpade filed his nomination papers. He was accompanied by V.S. Ugrappa, Suryanarayana Reddy, Ganesh and other party leaders.
Janata Dal(S) candidate M.N. Nabi led a procession of his supporters in an open vehicle from the local party office and filed his nomination papers. Speaking to reporters later, he said that reopening the sugar factory in the constituency would be his top priority if he won the bypolls. “My first priority is to reopen the defunct ISR sugar factory in the constituency. Thousands of sugarcane growers have been affected by the closure of the factory. I am confident of winning the bypolls. My party leaders H.D. Deve Gowda, H.D. Kumaraswamy and other leaders would campaign for me,” he said.
Kaviraj Urs, BJP rebel candidate, also filed his nomination papers.
