The Congress campaign for Mysuru Lok Sabha constituency intensified with the party candidate M. Lakshman reaching out to professional groups like advocates and industrial workers, on Thursday.
Mr. Lakshman also positioned himself as a commoner and pitched it as his USP because he would be available to the public 24x7 to redress their grievances. This by implication meant that his nearest rival Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar being from a royal family, may not be easily accessible, though Mr. Lakshman desisted from mentioning any names.
Speaking to members of the Mysuru Bar Association Mr. Lakshman said he has a vision for Mysuru and he was capable of representing the constituency as well as the State and would not be among those MPs who attend the Parliament sessions but never raise issues germane to the public.
He said Mr.Siddaramaiah in his first tenure as the Chief Minister from 2013 to 2018 was instrumental in creating a slew of infrastructure projects in Mysuru including hospitals, colleges, health care centres, hostels etc at a cost of over Rs.3800 crore.
“There was potential to improve tourism in Mysuru-Kodagu region and I have a vision to develop the region as a tourism hub which can help generate over 1 lakh jobs in the sector,” said Mr. Lakshman.
Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee president Tanvir Sait said the Congress believed in ensuring that benefits reach the poorest of the poor and this guided the government’s welfare programme. The objective of the Congress is to eradicate poverty and make Karnataka free of hunger besides extending education for all, said Mr. Sait.
He described Mr. Lakshman as someone who was rooted in the ethos of the Mysuru-Kodagu region as he had fought on various issues in his capacity as a social activist since more than 20 years. “Such a candidate will serve the constituency better,” he added.
Former deputy mayor Purushottam, former Zilla Panchayat president B.M. Ramu, and others were present. Mr. Lakshman also visited the industrial area on the city outskirts and distributed pamphlets supportive of his candidature to the factory workers. He interacted with the employees of BEML and sought their support.
