Hubballi: Union minister, Ramesh Jigajinagi is banking not only on the Modi wave but also the Congress-JD(S) rift to win from Vijayapura these Lok Sabha polls and is downplaying the lack of support from senior BJP leader and Vijayapura MLA, Basanagouda Pati Yatnal, who has been continuing to distance himself from the campaigning despite attempts by the party top brass to resolve his feud with the MP.
To the BJP's advantage , Congress leaders here are upset as the JD(S) has fielded Sunita Chavan, wife of its Nagathan MLA, Devanand Chavan after cornering the constituency in the seat-sharing agreement with their party.
The Congress workers point out that their party had lost to the BJP by merely 70 ,000 votes in 2014 and the JD(S) had merely got around 50,000 votes. Many are therefore staying away from the campaigning, making it hard for the JD(S), which is banking on their support as both parties have five MLAs and two MLCs from the district and the BJP, only three legislators.
However, ministers M B Patil and Shivanand Patil extended token support to Ms Sunita Chavan, accompanying her during the filing of her nomination papers and said they were confident of JD(S) victory as Mr Jigajinagi had failed to implement the multi-village drinking water supply project in the district despite serving as Union minister of state for drinking water and sanitation. They also contended tht the Chaluvadis would not desert the Congress despite losing the ticket to the JD(S).
"The Chaluvadis have always identified with the Congress. We had to give up Vijayapur constituency to the JD(S) under the seat-sharing agreement, but we will give the community proper representation in days to come", Mr Patil said.
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