Pics: Umesh Marpalli
Daijiworld Media Network – Udupi (HB)
Udupi, May 10: Congress candidate for the constituency of Udupi Pramod Madhwaraj undertook a padayatra on Wednesday, May 9, urging voters of the electorate of Udupi city to support and vote him to power in the upcoming elections. Prominent leaders and thousands of activists of the party participated in the rally.
The road show started from Jodukatte, near Big Bazar, passed through main junctions of the city, Diana circle, Alankar road, market road, service bus stand, in the city and concluded at Kadiyali near Mandavi Trade Center.
Thousands of supporters sloganeering supporting Pramod Madhwaraj, Sonia Gandhi, Oscar Fernandes, Rahul Gandhi, Siddaramaiah and Congress echoed throughout padayatra.
Addresing the gathering, Pramod Madhwaraj said, “From the past one month, people are working for my victory. We have just three days more for elections. Supporters should work till the end of the day of election. According to pre-poll surveys, Congress will get 70% of votes. Now it has to cross more than 80%. It is everyone’s responsibility to turn this 70% to 80%. Congress supporters should make an effort to get every voter to the polling booth to cast their vote. Once elected, I will render my sincere service for the next five years. If I get the chance again, I am determined to make Udupi the number one constituency in India. Hence, people should keep up the same spirit till the May 12. I have got an amazing response for the first time in my political journey. I will not let your efforts go in vain.”
District Congress president Janardhan Thonse, Block Congress president Satish Amin Padukere, Veronica Cornelio, Brahmavar Block Congress president Nithyananda Shetty and others were present.
Raghupati Bhat
Meanwhile, Udupi’s BJP candidate Raghupati Bhat and his supporters held a huge rally seeking votes from the public at Malpe harbour and in and around the city.
Addressing the rally at Gandhi Maidan, Parkala here, Raghupati Bhat said, "Pramod Madhwaraj is distracted by the fact that the voters of Udupi are in favour of BJP. He was inactive as an MLA, secretary for parliamentary affairs and minister. Now he is distributing the booklet to the people of Udupi about the false development that he claims that he has made. Even the salaries, which the teachers get from the government, are added to the list of his developments," ridiculed Raghupati Bhat, BJP candidate for Udupi constituency.
Continuing his barrage on Pramod, he further said, "Pramod has shown in his booklet that he has brought Rs 2026 crores grant to the district of Udupi. However, if one reads the inside pages of that booklet, those were the works that were done during the term of BJP. It includes the construction of Malpe - Padukere bridge, the third-phase development of Malpe port at a cost of Rs 36 crores, Gundibail road, which were done by the BJP government. In addition, Pramod has become a laughing stock by adding the salaries of teachers, bicycles distributed to children and the pump sets and power given to farmers in his achievement booklet.
"If Udupi would have received the grants of Rs 2026 crores, people of Udupi would have got the facilities of the standard that is available in Singapore. During the tenure of Pramod, no works related to new roads, the building of four-lane roads or the extension of drinking water are done. If I become the MLA, the developmental works will start again. The dream of beautiful, clean and prosperous Udupi will be a reality."