Pics : Dayanand Kukkaje
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SB)
Mangaluru, Apr 6: Congress-JD(S) coalition candidate for Shivamogga Madhu Bangarappa on Saturday April 6 attacked BJP state president and former chief minister B S Yeddyurappa statting that he had destroyed the BJP in the state, and that people are waiting to make Karnataka BJP-mukt.
In a press meet held at the Congress election office here on Saturday evening, Madhu Bangarappa said, "Yeddyurappa is a weak person who even failed to save his own chair when he was in power. He himself destroyed the BJP in the state with his immature political moves. It is time to make Karnataka BJP-mukt. People are waiting for this."
Attacking the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led NDA government, he said, "Modi wave is not going to work in Dakshina Kannada. Yeddyurappa's visit to Mangaluru is the downfall of BJP in the district. Within short time it (BJP) will disappear from Karnataka. Last time I lost against Yeddyurappa by 50,000 votes, but even then, he did not win on his own capacity but by seeking votes in the name of Modi. But now the trend has changed. There is no Modi wave.
"Congress has given me the ticket to win, and the party leadership has full faith in me. It does not matter who is contesting against me. Eshwarappa and Yeddyurappa have both been defeated before, and it was because of my father that BJP started winning in Shivamogga. BJP does not have the capacity to win independently in my constituency," he said.
Regarding Mandya constituency where chief minister H D Kumaraswamy's son Nikhil is contesting against BJP-backed independent candidate Sumalatha, he said, "We hope Nikhil will win by a huge majority. We are not worried about Sumalatha. Anyone can contest elections. We believe Sumalatha is also contesting as part of the Indian electoral process."
On Dakshina Kannada Congress candidate Mithun Rai, he said, "Mithun is a young and energetic candidate. Congress believes in youth power, and also it is what the society needs. Dakshina Kannada is known for its education and its intelligent people. Mithun Rai is the right person to represent this district. I am happy with his candidature and have full confidence of his victory. His victory will definitely bring a change in the district which the people have been demanding for many years."
Shanthinagar (Bengaluru) MLA Nallapad Haris, district JD(S) president Abdulla Kunhi, Akshith Suvarna, A C Vinayraj and others were present.