The Hindu

Mangalore, Mar 31: Even as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) entered the second round of its campaign for Lok Sabha election for Dakshina Kannada constituency, the Congress is yet to launch its first round here.

The BJP launched a website of its candidate Nalin Kumar Kateel a few days ago. It would soon be commencing its campaign of sending SMS to voters. However, the Congress does not appear to be keen on the high-tech method of propaganda. It is yet to start its door-to-door canvassing. The party functionaries say that the preparations for launching the campaign for former Union Minister B. Janardhana Poojary, whose choice for this constituency was announced on last Saturday, has begun. The leaders say that behind the door preparations are on and it may take about a week’s time for commencing the door-to-door campaign. “We are waiting for the arrival of Mr. Poojary,” said a party functionary. Mr. Poojary is in New Delhi. Kallige Tharanath Shetty, vice president of the party’s district unit, told The Hindu that a couple of meetings of workers, and booth-committee leaders had been convened to train them in door-to-door campaigning.

The formation of booth committees was under way and the block-level office-bearers had finalised the lists, he said. Mr. Shetty said that booth-level leaders had been asked to visit every house once the final list of voters was ready.