Cong will win from Shivamogga: DKS on Shamanur remark

NT Correspondent

Shivamogga: Karnataka Congress chief and Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Saturday tried to downplay the comment by senior Congress MLA from Davangere South Shamanur Shivashankarappa asking constituents from the Shivamogga Lok Sabha segment to ensure that sitting BJP MP BY Raghavendra wins from the seat again.

If Lok Sabha elections are held on time, they could be announced for the months of May and June in multiple phases.

When Shivakumar was asked about Shivashankarappa’s statement, he said that he hadn’t heard it.

“I don't know what he has said. I need to check the statement and then respond,” Shivakumar said.

“This time around, we (Congress) will win the Shivamogga seat. That much, I can say. Congress will win more seats than the Opposition in Karnataka this time,” he added Shivashnkarappa made the comments in a public programme in Shivamogga on Saturday.

“There will be parliament elections in another two months. Raghavendra will be your candidate again. BJP won’t give a ticket to anyone else,” Shivashankarappa said.

“He will contest again. It is your responsibility to elect him again to further the development of the constituency,” he said, adding that his “blessings” were always with Raghavendra.

Lingayat-Veerashaiva sympathies on display?

This is not the first time Shivashankarappa has whipped out the caste and community card.

Raghavendra is the son of Lingayat bigwig and former chief minister BS Yediyurappa. Shivashankarappa comes from the Veershaiva community, which has an association with the Lingayats.

Back in September, the veteran lawmaker went so far as to say that the condition of the Lingayat officers under the State government was “worse than that of dogs”, adding that bureaucrats from the community hadn’t received good posts.

He had even threatened the Congress that there were enough Lingayat MLAs to help form a State government on their own. Shivashankarappa is the oldest MLA in the state at 92 years and is also the president of the All India Veerashaiva Mahasabha.