The campaign by Congress and JD(S) in the ensuing elections to the Legislative Council from South Graduates’ constituency received a boost with former Chief Ministers Siddaramaiah and H.D. Kumaraswamy seeking votes for the candidates from their respective parties in Mysuru on Monday.
Mr. Siddaramaiah visited Vidya Vikas Institute of Engineering and Technology and Vidyavardhaka College of Engineering in Mysuru and sought first preference votes for the Congress candidate Madhu Madegowda, who is the son of former MP and farmers’ leader from Mandya G. Madegowda.
In his address at the educational institutions, Mr. Siddaramaiah recalled the implementation of the recommendations of the 6 th Pay Commission during his tenure as Chief Minister, leading to a 30 per cent hike in salaries. He referred to the widespread job losses in the current BJP regime that had put a question mark over the employment security of graduates.
He called upon the voters of the constituency to think about their and the country’s future before casting their votes. Mr. Siddaramaiah was accompanied by Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) Working President R. Dhruvanarayan and other party leaders including Mysuru District Congress Committee President B.J. Vijaykumar. Chairman of Vidya Vikas Institute of Engineering and Technology Vasu, who is also a former Congress MLA, was also present on the occasion.
Meanwhile, JD(S) leader H.D. Kumaraswamy, who arrived in Mysuru on Monday afternoon, campaigned for party candidate H.K. Ramu in Vidyavardhaka College in Vijayanagar in Mysuru. He was accompanied by a host of JD(S) leaders including former Minister S.R. Mahesh and party MLC Srikantegowda.
Sources in JD(S) said that Mr. Kumaraswamy will be visiting National Institute of Engineering (NIE), Vidya Vikas Institute of Engineering and Technology and JSS College on Tuesday to seek votes for the party candidate.
The stepping up of campaign by Congress and JD (S) in Mysuru follows a sustained campaign by BJP, which brought a battery of leaders ranging from Union Ministers Pralhad Joshi and Shobha Karandlaje and former Chief Minister D.V. Sadananda Gowda to other Ministers from the State including B.C. Nagesh and C.N. Ashwathnarayana, besides former Minister S Suresh Kumar to campaign for party candidate M.V. Ravishankar, the former Chairperson of Mysuru Paints and Varnishes.
Minister for Co-operation S.T. Somashekar, who is also the Minister in charge of Mysuru district, is virtually camping in Mysuru to campaign in the constituency that is spread across Mysuru, Mandya, Chamarajanagar and Hassan districts.
More than 1.35 lakh graduates are likely to become eligible to vote in the elections scheduled to be held on June 13.
While sitting MLC Srikante Gowda from JD(S) had opted out of the race and is campaigning for the party candidate H.K. Ramu, the BJP has renominated Mr. Ravishankar, who lost narrowly to the JD(S) last time.
Though Congress has never won the elections to the Legislative Council from South Graduates’ constituency, KPCC spokesperson Venkatesh said the party was on a firm footing in the ensuing elections with Mr. Madhu Madegowda, who enjoys widespread support and goodwill from the electorate across the constituency, beginning his campaign early.
