K'taka polls: Cong workers urge Siddaramaiah to campaign in Haveri

HUBBALI: The Congress workers want the former Chief Minister and star campaigner of the party, Siddaramaiah to campaign in Karnataka's Haveri district.

The party leaders said that Siddaramaiah is the most coveted leader in the district for the party and added that he has even exclusive fan clubs there.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is reaching Haveri and will address a public meeting at 5 p.m. there. The party candidates for all the six Assembly segments of Haveri district and seven Assembly seats of Dharwad district will be present during the PM's rally at a ground opposite the Ajjaya temple premises.

Local Congress leaders are worried that if Siddaramaiah does not hit the road, the ground advantage the party has due to anti-incumbency of the BJP government would be lost. It is to be noted that of the six Assembly constituencies in Haveri district, the BJP has four, the Congress one and Karnataka Prajnyavantha Janata Party (KPJP) one. Chief Minister of Karnataka, Basavaraj Bommai represents Shiggaon in Haveri district.

Siddaramaiah is highly popular in the region, and his presence itself, according to Congress workers, would electrify the masses. However, sources in the Congress told IANS that Siddaramaiah himself is facing a tough battle in Varuna constituency against BJP leader and incumbent minister, V. Somanna and hence he is not able to conduct a campaign in other constituencies.

Senior Congress leader in Haveri, Dr. Satish Ilager told IANS that he expected Siddaramaiah to campaign in the district in a few rallies. He also said that the former Chief Minister is a big hit with the people of the area.

With the polling on May 10, the political parties are in the last-minute preparations to woo voters and in North Karnataka, the BJP has to win with an absolute majority to make up for the possible losses in Mysore area to come back to power in the state.