Bengaluru: BJP leader Anantkumar Hegde represented Uttara Kannada Lok Sabha segment in Karnataka for six terms and now gynecologist Anjali Nimbalkar is putting up a spirited fight seeking to turn the tide and "deliver" it for the Congress.
Dr Nimbalkar is taking on former Karnataka Assembly Speaker Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri, who replaced Hegde, in this BJP stronghold.
A former Congress MLA, she lost the Assembly elections from Khanapur in Belagavi district last year.
The 62-year-old Kageri, a six-term MLA and a former minister, was also defeated in the Assembly polls from Sirsi.
"In the past 30 years, the voice of Uttara Kannada was not spoken and not even a single question was asked in the Parliament," Nimbalkar said in an apparent dig at Hegde.
If elected, she said her focus is to address the local issues related to forest dwellers, getting them 'patra' for their own land -- a battle they have been fighting for long.
Also on her priority list is getting a multispecialty hospital in Kumta as per people's demand, generating employment and focusing on tourism for the overall development of Uttara Kannada.
"Issues related to forest dwellers -- they want a 'patra' for their own land -- we will try and put forth these issues in the first session itself and we will see to it that maximum applications which are pending with the Central government get cleared during the first session itself," she said in an interview.
"So, our thing is that at least 50 per cent of the jobs should be given to the local Kannadigas in the Central schemes which are implemented in the district," she said.
Noting that Uttara Kannada has a combination of both beaches and temples, Nimbalkar said the district can be developed internationally in a much higher scale than "what actually Goa or Kerala is".
The Congress candidate is also banking on the five guarantee schemes launched by the Siddaramaiah-led government in Karnataka and the promises made by party in its manifesto at the national level.
Responding to a question, she expressed happiness that the Congress has fielded a total of six women candidates out of 28 Lok Sabha constituencies in Karnataka.
While campaigning, Nimbalkar said she was overwhelmed to see a large number of people, especially women, turning up for her rallies despite the intense heat in Uttara Kannada.
"They are very happy that the Congress has given a woman candidate and an educated candidate who herself is a doctor and a gynecologist. So they are excited that, yes, she can be our voice in the Parliament who can fight for our rights," the 47-year-old said.
"I have worked as an MLA (Khanapur), so they have seen my work in the Assembly and the expectations are like, yes, she will be the one who will be speaking for us and that faith is seen in their eyes," she said.
Nimbalkar strongly believes that when women enter any field, it brings a different perspective - be it in terms of management, policy formulation or even as homemakers.
Uttara Kannada is among the 14 constituencies going for polls in Karnataka under second phase on May 7.
Karnataka has 28 Lok Sabha seats and the first phase of polling was held on April 26.
Comments
Goons.....say something......she was not wearing a burka
showoff...who cares..!!
Show off....who cares..!!
BJP MLAs are playing in crores. where does this money come from. Income tax officers should raid this type of MLAs for right source of income. this is definitely from unlawful activities and illegal. MLAs are playing with crores whereas poor people are carrying dead bodies of their beloved on their shoulders and baby is dying on ones shoulder because Govt hospital did not provide him stretcher. What a shame. Its shameful to our public who select these types of goonda people to be Ministers only to get enriched.
What is her age?
Yes BJP MLA's are all coming in media for wrong reasons.. They themselves living in LUxury and never care for the poor of the country.
The road condition is not good enough for these imported cars....very expensive car.....fixing dent of car will require another one crore....rickshaw guy should be compensated with at least one crore....
everybody once will hit their new vehicle somewhere. why only targeting politicians all the way, if something did by congress, bjp will highlight. if bjp congress will blame. now a days media also doing the same thing, seriously alteast media should stop their saffron views. work for the development of the society provide true news to our people.
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