Bengaluru: Congress and the BJP-JD(S) alliance have intensified campaigns for the four legislative council seats — two teachers’ and graduates’ constituencies each — ahead of polling on Oct 23, with senior functionaries from both sides wooing voters.Chief minister DK Shivakumar campaigned in Hubballi Saturday, seeking support for Congress candidate Mohan Limbikai in West Graduates’ constituency. He said Congress govt had fulfilled its promises by implementing various welfare schemes, including the five guarantees. His govt had also introduced ‘Tr’ prefix for teachers and ‘Er’ for engineers, which he said would help the party’s candidates win the elections.KPCC president BK Hariprasad and ministers Satish Jarkiholi, Laxman Savadi, Santosh Lad and Rudrappa Lamani also campaigned for Limbikai.Meanwhile, Union minister Pralhad Joshi and MP and former chief minister Basavaraj Bommai campaigned for BJP nominee SV Sankanur in Haveri district Saturday.In North-East Teachers’ constituency, former chief minister BS Yediyurappa, former minister S Suresh Kumar, CT Ravi and other BJP functionaries campaigned for party candidate Shashil G Namoshi in Kalaburagi region. JD(S) MLA Sharanagouda Kandakoor also campaigned for the alliance candidate. Ministers Shivaraj Tangadagi and Basavaraj Rayareddi, along with Ajay Dharam Singh and other Congress leaders, campaigned for Congress candidate Sharanappa Mattur.In Bengaluru Teachers’ constituency, opposition leader R Ashoka, BJP state president BY Vijayendra, MLC Chalavadi Narayanaswamy and other BJP leaders held meetings with eligible voters, seeking support for NDA candidate AP Ranganath, fielded by JD(S).Minister HC Balakrishna, KH Muniyappa and other ministers from Bengaluru also campaigned for Congress nominee Puttanna in Bengaluru Teachers’ constituency.In South-East Graduates’ constituency, BJP campaigned for its candidate KM Suresh, with Vijayendra and others seeking votes. On the Congress side, DCM G Parameshwara, ministers Byrathi Suresh and T Raghumurthy campaigned for party candidate Shashi Hulikuntemutt.Vijayendra Sunday expressed confidence that NDA, of which BJP and JD(S) are partners, would win all four seats, saying the parties’ functionaries were working together to ensure the victory of alliance candidates.“Party workers are campaigning for NDA candidates in all four constituencies. The alliance is working to ensure the victory of Namoshi, Suresh, Sankanur and Ranganath,” he said.JD(S) MLC SL Bhojegowda said NDA had the support of voters. Since the electorate comprised teachers and graduates, he expected them to assess the candidates and vote in the alliance’s favour. He expressed confidence that NDA had a chance of winning all four constituencies.BJP MLC N Ravi Kumar, who was camping in North-East Teachers’ constituency for the election, said voters were favourably inclined towards NDA.
