Netas of all parties flock to key constituencies in North Karnataka—Kalaburagi region

Kalaburagi: Leaders of all parties are rushing to campaign in three key Lok Sabha constituencies in north Karnataka—Kalaburagi, Bidar and Raichur—where polls are scheduled for April 23.

Braving scorching heat, with day temperature hovering around 45 degrees, these leaders are racing to drum up support in these key constituencies, with just a day left for campaigning to draw to an end. Two of these seats, without doubt, are keenly contested with veteran Congress leader M Mallikarjun Kharge pitted against Dr Umesh Jadhav in Kalaburagi and KPCC working president Eshwar Khandre pitted against Member of Parliament Mr Bhagwanth Khuba.

Mr Kharge, despite being a star campaigner for his party, has not stepped out of his constituency. Mr Kharge did not go to Raichur on April 19 during the visit of Congress president Rahul Gandhi, Janata Dal (Secular) president H D Deve Gowda and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, all canvassing for Congress candidate B V Naik.

Former chief minister Siddaramaiah, who addressed a couple of meetings in the district on April 17, will return to visit Bidar and some parts of Kalaburagi district again to seek votes in favour of Mr Khandre.

In addition, leaders like as Mr Ramalinga Reddy, U T Khader, C M Ibrahim, and Jayamala are reaching out to voters on behalf of Mr Kharge and Mr Khandre.

Meanwhile, BJP general secretary Muralidhar Rao and former minister R Ashoka are scheduled to visit Bidar.

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