BJP and Congress in tight fight in Dakshina Kannada district as election fever rises
Mangaluru: In Dakshina Kannada, a district long dominated by the BJP, the upcoming election is shaping up to be a close contest with the Congress fielding former Union Minister and Senior Congress leader B Janardhan's Pujari disciple Padmaraj against the BJP's candidate, former army officer Captain Brijesh Chowta.
The BJP has made a significant change by denying a ticket to sitting MP Nalin Kumar Kateel and instead fielding Chowta. Both Chowta and Padmaraj hold important positions in their respective parties at the state level, adding to the intensity of the competition.
The Bahujan Samaj Party has announced Kantappa Alangar as its official candidate, adding another dimension to the race in addition to the strong forces of the BJP and Congress.
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Candidates from both parties have begun their election preparations by seeking blessings from religious leaders, but the true nature of the competition will only be revealed after nomination papers are submitted.
Unlike the previous election where both BJP and Congress candidates belonged to the Bunt community, this time the Congress has fielded a candidate from the Billava community, a move seen as an attempt to appeal to a decisive voter base for the BJP. The effectiveness of this strategy will be evident in the election results.
Both BJP and Congress candidates are not grassroots workers of their parties but have used their influence to secure tickets, leading to discontent among some senior leaders. Despite being denied a ticket, Nalin Kumar Kateel has expressed satisfaction with the party's decision, highlighting his achievements as a Member of Parliament.
For B. Janardana Pujari, a veteran Congress leader, this election holds significance as he has been striving to re-enter Parliament after several unsuccessful attempts. The Congress high command has strategically given responsibilities to seniors to avoid upsetting those who were aspiring for tickets.
As election fever slowly rises amidst challenges such as the scorching summer heat and drinking water problems, the battle for Dakshina Kannada district is expected to be closely watched.
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BJP workers allegedly attack children during Christmas carol roadshow in Kerala’s Palakkad: Reports
Palakkad: A group of children celebrating Christmas through a carol roadshow was allegedly attacked by BJP workers in Kerala’s Palakkad district on Sunday night.
According to local reports, the incident occurred in Pudussery area of Palakkad, where over 25 children, mostly aged around 13, were moving from house to house singing Christmas carols. Reports state that a BJP worker identified as Ashwin Raj, along with others, allegedly assaulted the children and vandalised their musical equipment.
According to the police and eyewitness accounts, the children were using a band set that belonged to a local CPI(M) office, which had the party’s name written on it.
Allegedly objecting to this, the accused and his associates reportedly lured the children on the pretext of offering them money and then assaulted them. The band set used by the children was also smashed.
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The Town Police have arrested Ashwin Raj, a local BJP worker who has been named as the prime accused in the case. Efforts are underway to trace and arrest the remaining accused who fled the scene.
Speaking to the media, one of the injured children said, “We were using the band just for fun. When they saw that it had CPM written on it, they took us aside and beat us.”
"We had given the band set that was in our office out of love when the children asked for it. The fact that these young children, who do not know the intricacies of politics, were attacked shows the criminal mentality of the BJP workers," local CPIM leaders expressed outrage.
A police officer told PTI that the arrested accused is already booked under the Kerala Anti-Social Activities (Prevention) Act (KAAPA).
The sections invoked include Section 192 (provocation with intent to cause a riot), Section 115(2) (voluntarily causing hurt), and Section 110 (attempt to commit culpable homicide), police added.
