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
Why cant we call them Bajrangdal Terrorists??
WHEN MODI TOOK POWER IN CENTRAL, TILL NOW THERE IS NO SECURITY FOR THE MINORITY, AND NOW HE IS SILENT ON MINORITY ATTACKS ALL OVER IN INDIA.
THERE ARE MUCH MORE EVIDENCE TO BAN RSS, BD, VHP.....
Good.. Let world see ur real face..
Very shame...shame , no humanity very cruelty
These goons should be banned from society....if they have problem they should inform police...now police should punish them severely so that they should not take law in their hands in future.....
WHA WHA WHA THEY START NOW BEC BJP GOVERMENT PASSED ALREADY 2 YEAR ,
NOW THEY START EVERTHING ATTACHK TO INNOCENT THIS ALLL ACCHE DIN FROM MODHI SAARKAR
PEOPLE KILLED FOR COW , OTHER COUNTRY PEOPLE LAFGING IN INDIANS , WE ARE WORKING IN MIDDLE EAST THEY ARE ASKING US
HUMAN KILLED FOR COW WHAT TYPE OF COUN TRY IS INDIA SHAME ON US AND OUR MODHI GOV
Govt should spare no time in arresting the leaders of the terrorist organisatins to brutually attacked inidans from other states. These terrorists have no right to be called as Indians as they have no respect for the co-Indians. Shame on your Hindutva terrorists. Govt should ban these terrorist organisations and kick out their leaders out of Indian mainland. Hoswever, i am sorry to say that no Govt will take that step. Instead of arresting the terrorists i doubt that innocents migrants will be arrested and punished for no fault of theirs.
These so called Hindu activists are doing too much goondasm throughout the country. These people should be booked as terrorists.
Send this Bajrangis to Andaman on one way ticket and never to return to mainland
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