Congress members from Mysuru campaign for Priyanka in Wayanad

Mysuru: Congress has roped in several of its functionaries from Mysuru district to win over Kannadiga voters, especially tribals who constitute a major chunk of the electorate, in Wayanad Lok Sabha constituency in Kerala where Priyanka Gandhi Vadra is making her electoral debut.

Mysuru-based S Pyari Jan, general secretary and Kerala in-charge of All India Congress Sevadal, who walked with Lok Sabha opposition leader Rahul Gandhi during his Bharat Jodo Yatra, is heading the Sevadal campaign in the bypoll to Wayanad. She is currently camping in the Kerala district and will continue to work until campaigning ends.

Jan said: “We address corner meetings in the constituency. I don’t know the local language, so I speak in Hindi which is translated into Malayalam by party workers. We are confident of Priyanka’s victory.”

Anil Chikkamadhu, MLA of HD Kote and tribal leader of the party in Mysuru and Chamarajanagar districts, will join the campaign on Nov 8. Chikkamadhu enjoys a lot of clout among tribal voters in HD Kote-Wayanad border. “Yathindra Siddaramaiah will also join the campaign,” Chikkamadhu said.

Sources say the party will prepare a tour plan for functionaries from Mysuru and Chamarajanagar early this week. “Wayanad has a huge number of tribal and Kannadiga voters. To win their confidence, functionaries from these two districts will be roped in,” said a Congress member.

Meanwhile, BJP state general secretary N Ravi Kumar said none from Karnataka BJP is part of the Wayanad campaign. Another functionary said the party is concentrating on the bypolls in Karnataka and assembly polls in Maharashtra. “So, none from the state will campaign in Wayanad,” he said.

Courtesy : TOI

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