CS Shivalli’s wife keen to contest Kundagol Assembly bypoll-election

Hubballi: With the date for the Kundagol Assembly bypoll out, late minister C.S. Shivalli’s widow Kusuma said that she is ready to contest the election.

Addressing the press here on Wednesday, she claimed that many Congress workers have exerted pressure on her to contest the by-election. Admitting that she does not know much about politics, she said she will enter the poll arena only if the Congress high command wants her to.

“Congress workers have appealed me to enter the poll fray from Kundagol when they met me to express their condolence over the demise of my husband. I accept their invitation”, she said.

The Election Commission has announced the bypoll on May 19. Shivalli, a three-time legislator from Kundagol, died recently due to a cardiac arrest. The leader of the Kuruba community was a close confidante of former CM Siddaramaiah and had won the previous Assembly election by a slender margin of 634 votes against BJP candidate S.I. Chikkangoudar.