'Controversial image' of Karandlaje will help me, says Rajeev

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru: BJP leader Shobha Karandlaje is known for indulging in communal division and polarisation which people don't want here, alleges Congress leader M V Rajeev Gowda as he takes on the union minister in Bangalore North constituency in the coming Lok Sabha polls.

People want to enjoy a good quality of life, grow and prosper, and don't want this area to become communally charged and divided, says the former Professor of Indian Institute of Management Bangalore where he taught economics and policy.

Bangalore North has been a BJP stronghold for a long time, but the chairman of the AICC Research Department appeared upbeat about his electoral prospects.

There is no Modi wave in Karnataka this Lok Sabha elections, the 60-year-old claimed.

It's the five guarantee schemes of the Siddaramaiah-led Congress government delivered within 10 months of coming to power are what is helping people who are in trouble, he said.

Also, the "sense of injustice to Karnataka (in terms devolution of funds by Centre) and the (dismal) record of the previous BJP government here are what will work in favour of the Congress."

A national spokesperson of the Congress, this is the first time that Gowda is contesting for Lok Sabha elections.

Gowda said he is "very very" confident of winning as people are happy to have an educated and qualified candidate who has already done "good work" for Bengaluru and Karnataka.

"We are getting very good response. Our party is united, our cadre is working unitedly," claimed Gowda, who had earlier served as Vice-Chairman of Karnataka Policy and Planning Commission. He said a plus for him is that Karandlaje -- the Udupi-Chikmagalur MP who was shifted to Bangalore North -- is a "very controversial candidate."

"She faced 'go back' slogans in Udupi-Chikmagalur from her own people…. here (Bangalore North) also enough people are not cooperating with her... So people feel like this is not a candidate they want to support," he claimed.

"They want to switch towards my side. Then there's another side of people who say look, this lady only causes communal confusion, division and polarisation and are not happy with that,'' he said.