Udupi: 'Heights' of Electioneering - Now, Camel Enters the Poll Scene!

Shubhalakshmi
Pics: Hemanath Padubidri
Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (RD)

Udupi, Mar 12: As the grand finale of the Udupi-Chikmagalur bypoll gets closer, candidates are coming up with innovative ideas to woo their voters.

The latest entrant in the poll scene is a camel, ridden around the town by JD(U) candidate K Bharat.

Bharat, mounted on a camel specially brought in for the purpose, campaign all along the route from Maruti Vitika to service bus stand here on Monday March 12.

Party activists accompanied the candidate, even as bystanders and the public looked on with amusement while he took the joyride. They said that the party intended to convey the message that the hike in petroleum products will lead the citizens to depend on camels and cycle rickshaws in the future.

“A few partymen have deserted JD(U) to join other national parties. The BJP-led state administration is plagued with controversies and differences within the party rankings. A group of BJP veterans are demanding that chief minister Sadananda Gowda step down with a move to strengthening the party.  It will not happen at once,” said JD(U) state president Nada Gowda while addressing mediapersons.

Gowda also said that Bharat knows the issues of Chikmagalur very well. “Money plays a vital role in elections and politics which has to be changed. The people are fed up of BJP, JD(S) and Congress.  A change should come through JD (U),” added Gowda.

Meanwhile, KPCC former president R V Deshpande campaigned for Congress candidate Jayaprakash Hegde from Rath Beedi to Badagupete in the city, soliciting votes from shopkeepers.
 
Sandalwood actor Srinath and MLC Captain Ganesh Karnik campaigned for BJP candidate Sunil Kumar along Maruti Vitika here, reaching out to families in the area.
 
District BJP president Uday Kumar Shetty, Satyanarayan Shetty and others accompanied them.