Ramulu steps up campaign, woos Kurubas

Hubballi: Senior BJP leader B Sriramulu, who is taking on Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in Badami constituency,  has intensified his campaign in the absence of his friend, controversial mining baron turned politician,  Janardhan Reddy,  who has reportedly been told to stay from it by party bigwigs. 

To his advantage two other ticket aspirants, who had entered the fray as independents, have withdrawn their nominations and vowed to support him. Although Mr Sriramulu is banking heavily on the Veerashaiva-Lingayat and Valmiki voters, he is also wooing the Kurubas, having lunch at the house of a Kuruba family in Kulageri village and going on a whirlwind tour of around 21 villages  dominated by the community, to which Chief Minister Siddaramaiah belongs. 

He also had breakfast at the house of a Panchamasali Lingayat in Cholachagudd village as his rival JD(S) candidate belongs to the community.  

The BJP leader is promising to develop tourism in the area, rejuvenate the lakes, solve its drinking water problem and welfare measures for the weavers. 

Meanwhile,  although the Bagalkot district leaders of the  Congress have taken on the responsibility of ensuring Mr Siddaramaiah’s win from Badami, the party continues to face dissidence with two of its factions holding their own campaigns in the constituency.

While Congress leaders S R Patil, C M Ibrahim and B B Chimmanakatti have  stepped up their campaigning,  Dr Devaraj Patil, who sacrificed his ticket  for the Chief Minister, has  been kept at bay by  supporters of Mr Chimmanakatti. 

Mr Ibrahim is proving a star attraction with his sharp speeches. At one public meeting he compared the position of state BJP president, B S Yeddyurappa to the banned  Rs 500 and Rs 1000 currency notes. “His son and (close aide) Shobha Karandlaje were denied tickets these  elections , which shows just how little  influence he has in the party. He will be totally sidelined  like senior leaders, L K Advani”,  he claimed.