BJP, Congress, JD(S) leaders hold rallies across state
AMN / BANGALORE
Election campaign has intensified for Assembly polls in Karnataka. Leaders of the major political parties today addressed rallies in various part of the state.
Congress leader and state Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, while campaigning in Belgaum, expressed confidence of winning from both Chamundeshwari and Badami assembly constituencies.
Speaking to media persons, he said, IT raids on Congress leaders and their sympathisers are politically motivated. Later speaking at a public rally, Siddaramaiah asked people to vote for Congress to carry forward the welfare programmes started by his Government.
At Ilkal in Bagalkote, BJP President Amit Shah said at a rally that Congress-free Karnataka will become reality on May 15th, when results of the polls are announced.
He accused Siddaramaiah-Government of murder of BJP and RSS workers in the state. The BJP President also campaigned in Vijayapura this afternoon, where he led a road show.
BJP leader and Union Minister Smriti Irani addressed a women’s convention in Belgaum. She said Congress has no programme for the upliftment of women. She said that BJP has introduced Jan Dhan Yojana to financially empower women.
Ms Irani stressed that constructive programmes that create self-reliance can only bring about change in the lives of the poor. She said BJP is working in this direction.
Addressing the media persons in Hassan today, JD(S) veteran leader HD Deve Gowda accused the state Government of sidelining Lokayuktha with the fear that their misdeeds will be caught. He alleged that even Congress High Command has fear that Siddaramaiah may lose election in Chamundeshwari.
In interesting statistics released by the State Electoral Office, the number of candidates contesting the assembly elections has come down from 2,948 in the previous assembly elections to 2,655 candidates this time. But female candidates in the fray have gone up from 170 to 219.