Despite IT raids of close associates of JD(S) ministers, poll campaign in full swing in Mysuru

JD(S) and Congress leaders had raised serious objections against the IT raids saying that it was politically motivated and even held pickets in front of the IT department office in Bengaluru that was attended by top leaders of the coalition government.

Mysuru region also known as Cuavery basin areas consists of Myauru, Mandya, Hassan and Chamarajanagar parliamentary constituencies.

The candidates hit the campaign trail early in the day on Saturday unmindful of the searing heat with temperature crossing the 37 degree Celsius mark and covered various Assembly segments during the day.

Given the vast tract of the parliamentary constituency which comprises 8 Assembly segments in each seat and the distance that needs to be traversed by the candidates, the party managers are concentrating on a specific Assembly segment each day.

While the Mysuru-Kodagu Parliamentary constituency encompasses the two Assembly segments of Virajpet and Madikeri in Kodagu district, apart from Krishnaraja, Narasimharaja, Chamaraja, Chamundeshwari, Hunsur, Periyapatana in Mysuru district, the Chamarajanagar Parliamentary constituency includes H.D.Kote, Nanjangud, Varuna and T.Narsipur of Mysuru district. This is apart from Hanur, Kollegal, Chamarajanagar and Gundlupet Assembly segments in Chamarajanagar district.

The Mandya constitutes includes Maddur, Melkukote, Mandya city, Srirangpatna, Nagamangala , Krishnaraja Pet and K R Nagara , Hassan consistes of Sharvanabelagola, Arsikere, Belur, Hassan, Holenarasipura, Arakalgud and Sakelshpur.

R Dhruvanrayan of the Congress, who is seeking a re-election from Chamarajanagar constituency, was in the H D Kote segment in Mysuru district seeking votes on the basis of the development works initiated by him. He was joined by the local MLA Anil Chikkamadhu and covered Bavali and other villages bordering the forest areas.

Lending him support was Dr Yathindra, MLA and son of former chief minister Siddaramaiah. He campaigned in the Varuna Assembly segment. A Congress functionary said it was impossible for any candidate to personally cover the entire constituency in the Parliamentary polls and hence the rank and file has to reach out and spread itself thin and wide.

While BJP candidate V Sreenivasa Prasad , also contesting parliament elections after 20 years slowly began his election campaign with old friends in the constituency who have supported him during his five times victory. He had represented Chamarajanagar for five terms as a Candidate and won in the past.

In the Mysuru Parliamentary constituency C H Vijayashankar of the Congress hit the campaign trail in Kodagu and covered at a few gram panchayats while his party workers fanned out across parts of Mysuru district, according to district congress president Vijay Kumar.

The BJP candidate from Mysuru, Pratap Simha, campaigned extensively in the Chamundeshwari Assembly segment and sought votes from the electorate. He has already toured Hunsur and Periyapatna Assembly segments visiting almost every village.

Calling on the local seers, visits to places of worship and appealing to the senior citizens and village heads are some of the common practice resorted to by the candidates irrespective of the political party. Early hours of the morning and late evening are preferred by the candidates for mass contact programmes as the heat is tolerable.

The key constituency of Mandya is witnessing a high profile battle between Chief minister H D Kumraswamy’s son Nikhil and cine actor Sumalatha.

Nikhil campaigned , despite hiccups due to non cooperation of Congress party workers in some areas. He continued his campaign by conducting road shows with good support from the people where ever he visited.

On the other hand Sumalatha, widow of former union minister and actor Ambareesh, who is backed by the BJP, began her election campaign much earlier than others in the constituency making efforts to in roads to each and every villages expecting sympathy being from her husband recent death.

Even today there was controversy in the constituency with some of the Congress party workers continued to work for her directly.

In another important constituency of Hassan from where PWD minister H D Revanna’s son Prajawal Revanna, third generation person from former prime minister H D Deve Gowda family is campaigning rigorously. Gowda had represented the segment for five times. Prajwal is facing direct fight with A Manju of the BJP. The latter, a former minister and Congress strongman, who joined the BJP recently protesting against dynasty politics by Gowda. In fact, Manju also contested 2014 elections against Gowda as Congress candidate and lost narrowly.

The election campaign continued in the constituency with H D Revanna wanted to the take confidence from Congress party, the coalition partner, but the bon homie is still missing.

Revanna claimed that there will no impact on the IT raid any way in the constituency and hoping to continue the same as it was earlier .