Vijayapura (K'taka): As by-polls are to be held on October 30 in Hangal and Sindagi constituencies of Karnataka, Senior Congress leader Siddaramaiah urged the voters from the minority community not to cast even a single vote to the JD(S).
He said that voting for the regional party means voting for the BJP. The leader of opposition in the state assembly accused the JD(S) of deliberately fielding minority community candidates in both the constituencies to help the BJP.
Addressing the campaign meeting at the Sindagi constituency he said that Congress is always the target for JD(S). He pointed out that during the Basavakalyan by-polls held earlier this year too, the regional party fielded a Muslim candidate, who got about 8,000 votes, which resulted in Congress' loss.
"Making Congress lose is their (JDS) intention. But I know people are not dumb as they think... minority community voters know and understand their intention.....I pray to minority community voters, that if you vote for JD(S), it is like voting for BJP. So don't cast a single vote for JD(S)," he added.
The JD(S) has fielded 33-year-old postgraduate Naziya Shakeel Ahmed Angadi from Sindagi and 35-year-old B.E, M.Tech (CSE) graduate Niyaz Shaikh from Hangal.
Congress during the 2018 assembly polls too had accused the JD(S) of being the "B-team" of BJP.
The by-elections have been necessitated as the seats fell vacant following the death of Sindagi JD(S) legislator M C Managuli and BJP's C M Udasi from Hangal.
Counting of votes to both constituencies will take place on November 2.