Campaigning for 2nd phase in Karnataka ends with scathing attacks by BJP, Congress

HUBBALLI/BELAGAVI: Campaigning for the second phase of

Lok Sabha polls

in Karnataka ended with vitriol-filled outbursts by leaders of the BJP and Congress as they made last-gasp efforts to sway voters.


On the last day of the campaign, former CM Siddaramaiah launched a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, linking him to Mahatma Gandhi’s assassin Nathuram Godse. “While Congress brought freedom to the country, Godse, an RSS man killed the Mahatma, and Modi is his follower,” Siddaramaiah said at an election rally in Kerur in Bagalkot district on Sunday.

In Shivamogga, BJP leader KS Eshwarappa termed PWD minister HD Revanna “a rotten lemon” and rubbished his statement that he is working against BJP candidate BY Raghavendra in Shivamogga. “BJP is like my mother. A son will never ditch his mother. To create confusion, Revanna is making false statements,” he said.

Taking a dig at water resources minister DK Shivakumar, Eshwarappa said, “His name should have been KD Shivakumar because he is a real villain.”

A total of 237 candidates are in the field as 14 of 28 constituencies in the state go to the polls on Tuesday. Belgaum has 57 candidates, the most among the 14 seats, and Raichur (five) the fewest. About 2.43 crore voters will exercise their franchise on Tuesday.

All eyes will be on Congress leader in the Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge, who is pitted against BJP’s Umesh Jadhav in Kalaburagi, as also on the battle between the sons of two former chief ministers BY Raghavendra and Madhu Bangarappa in Shivamogga.

Other prominent contestants are Union ministers Anantkumar Hegde from Uttara Kannada and Ramesh Jigajinagi from Vijayapura.

The spotlight is also on Belgavi and Ballari where Congress faces dissidence, with rebel MLA Ramesh Jarkiholi not campaigning for the party candidate and skipping Rahul Gandhi’s event last week.

Over the past three days, BJP and Congress leaders have engaged in a war of words, including a fierce debate on the separate Lingayat religion issue.

While PM Modi led the BJP’s adrenaline-charged campaign with party national president Amit Shah, Congress president Rahul Gandhi and CLP leader Siddaramaiah fronted the charge for the Congress-JD(S) combine, along with former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda and chief minister HD Kumaraswamy.

The BJP raked up the Lingayat issue to further consolidate the party’s vote base that is dominant in northern districts, with Modi himself spearheading the attack. A public spat on the subject between Congress ministers DK Shivakumar and MB Patil helped the BJP cause.


LAST DAY, LAST SHOW: BJP leaders, including V Somanna (left), and workers took out a massive road show to campaign for Pralhad Joshi in Hubballi on Sunday