Karnataka polls: Wife leads campaign of Cong candidate barred from entering Dharwad rural constituency

Hubbali: Shivaleela Kulkarni is leading the Congress' campaign in Karnataka's Dharwad rural seat. But no, she is not contesting, only holding the fort for her husband Vinay who is barred from entering the constituency.

Former minister Kulkarni was arrested and remanded in judicial custody in November 2020 in connection with the murder of BJP leader and zila panchayat member Yogeshgouda Goudar in June 2016. He was granted bail by the Supreme Court on the condition that he would not be allowed to enter Dharwad, the district known as the cultural capital of Karnataka, without the permission of the jurisdictional court.

The jurisdictional special court in Bengaluru had rejected his request for entry, after which he had approached the high court where his petition was dismissed by Justice K Natarajan last week.

With her husband barred from entering the constituency, Shivaleela Kulkarni is leading his campaign in the constituency and talking about the development works he initiated. Kulkarni's opponent, sitting MLA and BJP candidate Amrut Desai on the other hand is confident of retaining the seat on the back of development works done by him.

Often facing attack over the murder case against her husband, Shivaleela Kulkarni counters it with the refrain that "people who are part of Centre are also facing criminal charges but ruling the country".

"My husband, Vinay Kulkarni, is not in the constituency as he is facing a case since two years, I have been working in the constituency... He has done lots of things. Agriculture is the main source of the people here and he has done lots of work for the people," she told PTI.

People in Dharwad rural want to see Vinay Kulkarni return to his land, Shivaleela said as she claimed that no development has happened in the assembly in last five years.

She said Vinay Kulkarni is putting up at a place which is at the border of the constituency. He is staying there and everybody, including the youth and elderly, are going there to meet him and he is also connecting with people virtually, Shivaleela said.

Lashing out at the BJP, she alleged that the party is only supporting people like Adani and Ambani.

"They are supporting the business class. All of the constituency people know that what development has been done here," she said.

The reality is that the BJP has not done anything for development while her husband brought funds for the constituency, she claimed.

Shivaleela expressed confidence that one day her husband will be back in the constituency.

Speaking to PTI in Inamhongal in Belgaum district, Vinay Kulkarni said his wife is leading the charge on his behalf.

"This election is completely different. This is a big turning point in my life. All the people are supporting me and I will win this election very easily," he claimed.

Kulkarni, a two-time MLA, said he has lost only one election and is confident this time as people are expressing support for him in large numbers.

"In my constituency, everyone is very confident that I will win... In fact I am not in the constituency but about 10,000 people are gathering for me regularly, it' not easy," he said.

Kulkarni said that not just his wife but his workers are also campaigning for him.

Desai, the BJP candidate from Dharwad rural, also expressed confidence of winning the election this time, asserting that "there is no anti-incumbency" against him.

"The BJP has worked really very hard in the constituency under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. We have the guidance of BS Yediyurappa ji and Pralhad Joshi ji, huge number of people are supporting us," he said.

"Frankly speaking we are not scared of the person who is contesting against me. We are very confident about the development work we have done. We are asking votes on our work," Desai said.

Rejecting suggestions that Vinay Kulkarni may get sympathy votes, Desai said, "How can they get sympathy? Zila panchayat member was murdered, sympathy should be with that person and his family members." Voting will take place in the state on May 10 and the results will be out on May 13.