With both BJP and Congress filing nominations on the last day for Badami —current CM’s second seat — Karnataka is battle-ready
The battle for Badami is going to be one of the most eagerly-watched contests in the Karnataka Assembly elections given how much is at stake. The BJP has fielded its Bellary MP B Sriramulu (who is also contesting from Molakalmuru in Chitradurga district) against Siddaramaiah — the current Chief Minister of the state.
That the BJP is leaving no stone unturned to stop Siddaramaiah juggernaut became more than apparent when both candidates filed nominations on Tuesday (the last day of filing nominations) within minutes of each other. Sriramulu was accompanied by the BJP's CM candidate BS Yeddyurappa and BJP's election-in-charge for Karnataka and Union HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar among others, while CM Siddaramiah came by himself with a select band of party workers.
As B Sriramulu — one of the richest politicians in the state — arrived at the tehsildar office accompanied by the senior leaders, several local BJP MLAs tried to storm in with Sriramulu which led to high drama. As police stopped them from going in, they squatted on the steps and shouted slogans.
"I'm only abiding by the party leadership orders to contest," Sriramulu told DNA. "People vote for development not caste. PM Modi has shown the people that we're serious about development, and that will help me in the election," he said.
Mention must be made of the fact that Sriramulu had resigned as both state Health and Family Welfare minister and MLA in September 2011, and had even quit the BJP citing "humiliation of his mentor and jailed former minister Gali Janardhan Reddy by the BJP leadership." He seemed uncomfortable with questions about the infamous Reddy brothers (in trouble after being caught in the massive iron ore mining scam) being back in the BJP. The party has fielded G Somashekhara Reddy in Bellary city while his elder brother and former Bellary Lok Sabha MP G Karunakara Reddy has been given a ticket in Harappanahalli, Davanagere district. "These are questions I'm too small to answer. I'm only a party worker obeying the high command and I'm confident I'll win," he said.
Javadekar told DNA, "Siddaramiah is scared. He knows the people want the Congress to go and the BJP to come. That is why he has run away from Chamundeshwari to Badami. But we are giving chase and will ensure his defeat."
Yeddyurappa said: "This will be the last CM of the last Congress government. I don't think people will ever want them back." Both leaders, however, avoided answers as to whether they were falling into the trap of Siddaramiah tying them up in seat after seat forcing them to react to every action of his.
Siddaramaiah, on the other hand, came to the office by road from Hubli with select party workers and was greeted by hundreds of locals camping in the field outside the tehsildar office. "Local MLAs and other leaders from Badami have been requesting me to contest from here for a long time. I'd said no, but this time they reached out to the party high command who told me to contest."
In a massive show of strength which saw the police machinery stretched Siddaramiah went around in a procession to the local Banashankari temple in an open truck. "Voters will show the BJP that I enjoy the blessings of both Goddesses Chamundeshwari and Banashankari," he said alluding to the popular deities in both constituencies he is contesting from.
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