Congress to flex its muscles in North Karnataka

Hubballi: With elections to the state assembly less than a year away, the action seems to have shifted to North Karnataka for now. While the  ruling Congress is all set to kickstart its political campaign on June 29 from Kudalsangam, a famous pilgrimage centre of the Lingayats,  JD(S)  state president, H D Kumaraswamy has already visited all its districts and even rented a house in Hubballi a few months ago to revive the party in the region. 

State BJP chief , B S Yeddyurappa too is on a tour to woo Lingayats and Dalits of North Karnataka.  The Congress, which is also clearly vying for the Lingayat vote, will hold a mammoth convention of party workers from all 13 districts of the region  in the presence of Karnataka Congress in-charge, K C Venugopal and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.  Senior party leader , S R Patil, is set to formally take over as KPCC working president for North Karnataka at the event.

While rumours are doing the rounds that Mr Siddaramiah may contest from the region owing to mounting pressure from party workers to help the Congress draw the Kuruba vote along with the  Lingayat,  Mr Patil said no decision had been taken on this as yet.

"The party has not arrived on any decision about CM Siddaramaiah contesting the poll from Badami or any other constituency in the region. We will welcome him if he is willing to do so," Mr Patil said. Congress leaders claim that over a lakh people are expected to take part in the convention.