Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (SP)

Bengaluru, Apr 19: Taking into consideration the fact that the JD(S) does not have a formidable presence in north Karnataka, there will not be joint electoral campaigning in most of the places there during the second phase of Lok Sabha election, and Congress will alone be taking charge of the election meetings and rallies. During the three days left for the polling there, chief minister, H D Kumaraswamy, will be taking part in election campaigns in Shivamogga, Uttara Kannada, and Vijayapura districts.

Most importantly, Kumaraswamy will not be present in election rallies involving national president of the Congress, Rahul Gandhi.

In the first phase of election, the coalition had succeeded in bringing the leadership of both the parties together at the fag end of the campaign. The two parties had struggled to put up a united show in the early stages, particularly in Mandya, Hassan, Tumakuru and Mysuru constituencies, which the two parties consider as prestigious. As the presence or otherwise of JD(S) leaders does not make much of a difference in north Karnataka, the Congress leaders too are not insisting on the participation by leaders of that party in north Karnataka election campaigns.

The chief minister will not be participating in the campaign meetings being held on Friday in the presence of Rahul Gandhi. Deve Gowda will perhaps utilize the entire Friday to seek votes for JD(S) candidate in Shivamogga constituency on Friday.

On Thursday, Kumaraswamy took part in campaigns at Kumta, Dandeli and M K Hubli in Belagavi district. On Friday, he will be taking up campaign for Vinay Kulkarni, coalition candidate in Hubballi constituency. He will be seen at the campaign meeting at Terdal, Bagalkot district, and undertake campaign in Vijayapura reserved constituency at the fag end of the day. On Saturday, he will take part in meetings being held in favour of JD(S) candidate, Suneeta Devanand Chauhan, from Vijayapura constituency. Later, he will participate in Khanapur within Uttara Kannada constituency and stay at Shivamogga at night. On the last day of the campaign on Sunday, he will be busy in meetings in favour of the party's candidate, Madhu Bangarappa, in Shivamogga district.