Accusing the BJP of spending huge amounts of money to woo voters in bypolls to Sira and R.R. Nagar, the Janata Dal (Secular) leaders targeted the BJP vice-president B.Y. Vijayendra, who is staying at Sira to campaign for party candidate Rajesh Gowda.
At a party rally in Sira on Wednesday, which also saw JD(S) candidate Ammajamma, who had earlier been infected with COVID-19, making an appearance, the JD(S) party supremo H.D. Deve Gowda and former Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy said their candidate was up against the financially-stronger BJP candidate. While the two leaders did not take the name of Mr. Vijayendra, the son of Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa, they said that Sira was different from K.R. Pete in Mandya, where the BJP wrested the seat from JD(S).
“The Chief Minister’s son has come here. What is his relationship with Sira? Instead of spending money here to woo voters, he can spend the money on the flood-affected people in North Karnataka,” Mr. Kumaraswamy said.
Earlier, Mr. Gowda, referring to Mr. Vijayendra, said “the BJP youth leader” had said that he would “finish off JD(S)” like in K.R. Pet. “However, Sira is different from K.R. Pet,” he said.
Denied ticket
Tumakuru Rural legislator Gowrishankar claimed that the “crorepathi” BJP candidate had approached the JD(S) for ticket but had been denied it as the party had decided to field the family member of the late legislator.
