Veteran Congressman Prakash Hukkeri has made a comeback to Belagavi district politics. His win is a major setback to the ruling party that was hoping to retain the seat that it had won in the last two terms.
While Congress leaders hailed the victory of the former MP, the BJP alleged that this was achieved after several poll code violations and malpractices. Arun Shahapur, the BJP candidate, said that the Congress won by distributing money to voters and by violating the Model Code of Conduct. We have already filed complaints with the EC, he said.
Mr. Hukkeri only said that he owes it to the teachers. “I will spend the next six years in the service of teachers. That is all I can say,’’ he said.
Satish Jarkiholi, KPCC working president, said that the teachers had expressed their anger against the Union and State governments that were trying to forcefully implement the New Education Policy. They have voted against the policy, that is anti-students and anti-teachers, he said. He also said that the teachers had chosen a leader who would remain with them, instead of Mr. Shahapur who had remained inaccessible for 12 years.
BJP had carried out negative campaign against Mr. Hukkeri, that included leaders using disparaging remarks from senior leaders. Lakshmi Hebbalkar, Congress MLA, recalled these comments. “On several occasions, Umesh Katti, Food Minister, and Lakshman Savadi, former DCM, called Mr. Hukkeri an uneducated man. Govind Karjol called him ‘an old and weary bullock’. Mr Hukkeri has given all of them a fitting reply,’’ she said.
