Bengaluru, Oct 24 (IANS): Upping his ante against the ruling BJP candidate, N. Muniratna, Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee president D. K. Shivakumar on Saturday appealed to voters not to cast their franchise against such legislators who "sold their previous mandate" for money.

Addressing a poll rally in Rajarajeshwari Nagar constituency here, Shivakumar charged that Munirtana is responsible for this by-election, which was unwarranted. "People of this constituency at least now they should wake up and teach lessons to such "traders", who did not even hesitate to sell the people's mandate for their own benefit," he said.

Recalling few instances of BJP women workers in the constituency filing cases against Muniratna, Shivakumar said that Muniratna is known for several wrongdoings and one of them is misbehaving with women too.

"Did you all not know how he ill-treated women workers of BJP then? Women voters should not forget these things. He should be taught a lesson by women voters of this constituency," he said.

Meanwhile, Congress candidate, H. Kusuma who accompanied Shivakumar, asserted that she was born here and is a daughter of this constituency. "Please vote for your daughter," she appealed and tried to connect herself with women voters emotionally.

She added that her only aim was to convert this constituency into a fearless one. "People are living in fear because of my rival. I want to get rid of the fear from people's hearts," she said.