Bengaluru: With six children of Karnataka Ministers in the Lok Sabha poll arena, the campaign scene is getting spiced up in the high-stakes elections for the ruling Congress in the state. Prabha Mallikarjun, wife of Minister S S Mallikarjun, is also in the poll fray.
The grand old party tried its best to make several ministers enter the Lok Sabha election fray but none of them agreed and, instead, they proposed the candidature of their family members.
'Now, deliver' is the stern message of the Congress leadership to the ministers, putting the onus on them to ensure the victory of their kin, according to party sources.
The Congress secured only one seat in Karnataka in the 2019 general elections, and has now set an ambitious target of winning in 15 to 20 constituencies in the coming polls.
Elections in 28 constituencies in the State will be held in two phases on April 26 and May 7.
Sons of Laxmi Hebbalkar, Eshwar Khandre and H C Mahadevappa— Mrinal Ravindra Hebbalkar, Sagar Khandre and Sunil Bose— have been fielded from Belagavi (Belgaum), Bidar and Chamarajanagar, respectively.
Daughters of Satish Jarkiholi, Shivanand Patil and Ramalinga Reddy— Priyanka Jarkiholi, Samyukta Patil and Sowmya Reddy— are in contention in Chikkodi, Bagalkot and Bangalore South respectively.
Prabha Mallikarjun, wife of Minister S S Mallikarjun and daughter-in-law of veteran party leader Shamanur Shivashankarappa, is the party's nominee from Davangere.
"In this 'do or die' situation, the ministers have found the Lok Sabha election a launch pad for their children and relatives. We have to see how these ministers succeed in their mission," a Congress insider said.
Barring Sowmya Reddy, who is a former MLA, none of them have any legislative experience in elections. Stakes are high for some other ministers as well.
The party has fielded Radhakrishna Doddamani, son-in-law of Congress President M Mallikarjun Kharge in the family's home turf of Kalaburagi (Gulbarga), a seat held by the BJP.
Kharge's son and Minister Priyank Kharge has taken charge of spearheading the campaign in this segment, where his father had lost in the 2019 general elections.
"Priyank has taken this election as a prestige issue given the fact that the Congress president hails from here and had represented this constituency in the past in the Lok Sabha," a Congress leader said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had last month launched the BJP's formal campaign in Kalaburagi in what was seen as an aggressive message to the Congress.
Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister and State Congress chief D K Shivakumar's brother D K Suresh is seeking reelection in Bangalore Rural, where the BJP and JD(S) have fielded noted cardiologist and son-in-law of former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda.
The Congress which came to power in the state in May last year is seeking to ride on its five guarantee schemes of the government.
Sowmya Reddy, who is contesting from Bangalore South asked the women voters during a recent roadshow - "Do you travel in the buses? Which places have you visited in the recent past? Do you pay or travel for free?".
She was referring to 'Shakti' guarantee that offers free rides to Karnataka women in non-luxury government buses within the state. Reddy explained to the people about the four other guarantees— 'Gruha Lakshmi', 'Gruha Jyoti', 'Yuva Nidhi' and 'Anna Bhagya'.
"Who brought 'Achchhe Din'? Is it Congress or the BJP? Which 'Achchhe Din' you will vote for?" Reddy asked the women voters.
In Belagavi, Mrinal Ravindra Hebbalkar, is taking on BJP candidate and former Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar.
In campaign meetings, Minister Laxmi Hebbalkar reminded the crowd how Shettar had joined Congress when the BJP denied him a ticket in the 2023 Assembly election, only to return to the saffron party a few months later.
"Shettar is from Hubballi and we are from Belagavi. We know the problems prevailing here better than any 'outsider'. Today, BJP people are saying that they vote for Shettar keeping Prime Minister Narendra Modi in mind, but I want to know why he joined Congress and abused the BJP, Modi and former Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa," the minister asked.
The BJP swept the 2019 general elections in Karnataka winning 25 out of the 28 seats, while an independent backed by the party also won. The Congress and JD(S) which fought the elections together, secured one seat each.
Comments
BABA's everywhere ,
better call kamesh baba...
waiting for kamdev baba.....
LOL he must be a stud, this kind of libodo at this age.haha.
power of ayurvedic medicines
NITHYANANDA
SARAWATI
ASARAM BAPU
NARAYAN SAI
SAI BABA
kRIPALU MAHARAJ
iCHADARI BABA
PREMANANDA
its like every month ONE SWAMI is caught for sexual activities..
ALL above big Swamis caught in this act... When will U guys WAKE up... Hindus need to understand and not fall trap to anybody...
JUst depend on GOD. To depend on GOD only, U need to learn WHO is GOD... IF U are HONEST, the GOD who created U & ME & all that EXISTS will GUIDE YOU...
STOP worry about your life with all the RAHU KALAAS and other KALASS its a game played with the one who is far from the TRUE CREATOR... When U recognize the TRUE CREATOR ... U will understand this JOYTHIS Deception like \this day is not good or that\"
STOP fearing... and LEARN who is TRUE GOD."
Idol worship is wrong and the people who run it will never say to YOU guys cos its a money making tool to fool those who doesnt look \WHO is their CREATOR\"
Unless U search for YOUR CREATOR of YOU and all that Exists... We all fall to such a way of deception in worship which make the creation like STONES as YOUR GOD or REACHING GOD (which seems that we are not using our god given intellect.)
The CREATOR says PONDER on ME ... He will Guide us ..But If we rely on IDOLs and other created objects as Gods then our Intellect is ZERO. NOTHING
God says HUMANs are Intellect than any of his CREATION, if we USE our Intellect... to HONESTLY look for HIM. He will Guide us. even if you are in deep jungle looking for HIM.
But people believe what is said and they doesnt use their intellect. which is pushing them FAR from the TRUE CREATOR.
Recognize YOUR lord and WORSHIP the CREATOR and not his CREATION... U will not fall to such pornist as your SWAMI. its not first ... U check your self... (NA TASYA PRATIMA ASTI) There is no image of God ... PONDER Y are U asking with the ImAGE which is LIFELESS>>> not even move hands and heads like us."
Dear Brothers,
Please learn from these endless incidents.
Hindu community is responsible for these incidences not only the Babas.
This is the consequences of Not allowing the priests to get marry.
the same thing happens with Christian churches.
Allow the priests to get married. As they would have families, they can understand the problem of worshippers, public
Otherwise you have to face the unfortunate consequences with our own sisters.
May God Guide
BOLO BABA PARAMANAND KI...
Now many might be dreaming to became SWAMI at-least once in life time to have free fun and enjoyment with support and protection of RSS/BJP goondas and politicians
LOL..!! The continuous news of HindusSanghis involved in rapes, molestation etc. and in return the reward to set them free, one can simply say- Bharat Mata ki Jai!
LOL>>>We are not saying ALL HINDUS ARE RAPISTS. BUT ALL RAPISITS ARE HINUDS.
Doesn't it sound similar to Terrorist/Muslim etc.
Parmanand ji Maharaj: We are all fortunate to have Narendra Modi and Baba Ramdev with us.
Baba Ramdev is out of depth now. My sincere advice with Swami Parmanand jee is do Dhyan for sometime to regain balance.
Baba Hari Das gave me the name \Parmanand\". I think it was a great joke because everyone started calling me \"Parmasean\"."
Seriously i dont know, who make them famous, why people go there..
Baba Parmanand is a \stud\". Literally Was sexually exploiting infertile women to.. A feat at his age."
Just look at sanskaari, oops I mean, tharki Baba Parmanand's age. But then I am probably being ageist!
There goes another Fake Godman.
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