The Congress party’s star campaigner and former party president Rahul Gandhi will campaign for the candidates in Mandya and Kolar parliamentary constituencies on April 17.
The Janata Dal (S), which has entered into an alliance with the BJP, has fielded candidates in both constituencies.
Mr. Gandhi will address rallies and lead road shows in both constituencies in support of the party’s candidates. The party has nominated Venkataramane Gowda, popularly known as the ‘Star Chandru’, in Mandya and K.V. Gowtham in Kolar (SC) constituency.
Mr. Gowda is facing former Chief Minister and JD(S) leader H.D. Kumaraswamy in Mandya. Mr. Gowtham’s contest is against M. Mallesh Babu of the JD(S) in Kolar.
Both constituencies are crucial for the Congress. Victory in the Vokkaliga-dominated Mandya constituency would be a big boost to KPCC president and Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar.
In Kolar, the Congress has nominated Bengaluru central district Congress Committee chief K.V. Gowtham to counter the push for a ticket to veteran leader and Minister K.H. Muniyappa’s son-in-law Chikka Peddanna. Mr. Muniyappa has been sulking following the denial of the ticket to his son-in-law and is reportedly not actively participating in the campaign. In this context, Mr. Gandhi’s campaign in the constituency would provide a much-needed morale booster to the cadre, sources in the party said. The BJP won the Kolar seat in 2019.
Mr. Gandhi’s tour also assumes significance since it would come three days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s rally and road show in Mysuru and Mangaluru.
