Lok Sabha polls: Modi to kickstart BJP campaign in Karnataka by addressing conventions on March 16 and 18 in Kalaburagi and Shivamogga

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to kickstart the BJP’s formal campaign in Karnataka for the forthcoming Lok Sabha polls by addressing public conventions on March 16 and 18, in Kalaburagi and Shivamogga, respectively. This comes close on the heels of the party announcing the first list of 20 candidates from Karnataka.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to kickstart the BJP’s formal campaign in Karnataka for the forthcoming Lok Sabha polls by addressing public conventions on March 16 and 18, in Kalaburagi and Shivamogga, respectively. This comes close on the heels of the party announcing the first list of 20 candidates from Karnataka.

The Prime Minister’s campaign beginning from Kalaburagi is being seen as an aggressive message to the Congress as it is the home district of AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge.

Mr. Modi will address a convention in NV Playgrounds of Kalaburagi and at Allamaprabhu playgrounds in Shivamogga, the home district of veteran leader B.S. Yediyurappa.

The possibility of a rebellion by disappointed BJP ticket aspirants has turned out to be a tricky issue for party leaders this time in Shivamogga, as the party has denied ticket to Kanthesh, son of veteran leader K.S. Eshwarappa, from Haveri. It remains to be seen how the party will pacify Mr. Eshwarappa, a prominent leader in Shivamogga, before the Prime Minister’s visit to the city.

In addition to the Prime Minister, other prominent BJP leaders, including Home Minister Amit Shah, party president J.P. Nadda, and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath will address public conventions at different regions of the State.

BJP State general secretary and former Minister V. Sunil Kumar told media persons in Bengaluru on Wednesday that all the 28 Lok Sabha seats in Karnataka had been divided into eight clusters by the party organisation to prepare for the polls. Various Central leaders had already visited these clusters, he said, referring to the visit of Mr. Shah to Mysuru, Mr. Nadda to Belagavi, Devendra Fadnavis to Mangaluru, and Shivaraj Singh Chauhan to Kalaburagi.

While meetings of party workers and wellwishers had been held in these clusters as part of the first phase of poll preparations, the second phase that would begin with the visit of Mr. Modi would see organising of bigger events like public conventions, he noted.