'Congress will wrest Kolar seat back': Karnataka Dy CM DK Shivakumar

Kolar (Karnataka) [India], April 6 (ANI): Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister and Congress leader DK Shivakumar exuded confidence in wresting back the Kolar parliamentary seat from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Addressing a mega road show in Kolar, Shivakumar said, "Kolar has always been a Congress bastion, BJP and JD(S) won once each accidentally. We will wrest the seat back this time. Congress leaders from the district, including Ramesh Kumar, worked hard to get treated water from Bengaluru. Today, treated water from Bengaluru has made the lives of farmers in the district better."
"Congress party has given the ticket to a youngster for the Kolar parliamentary constituency. I spoke to the people of the district and they are grateful for the five guarantee schemes of the Congress government. These are the five guarantee schemes promised by Siddaramaiah and DK Shivakumar during the Assembly elections," he said.
The Congress leader further emphasised the party's poll guarantees as per the manifesto released earlier this week.
"Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi have announced 25 guarantee schemes under 5 Nyay schemes if Congress party comes to power in the Centre. This is the guarantee cheque of the Congress party. A woman of the house will get Rs 1 lakh per year on the lines of Gruhalakshmi scheme. Youth will get a stipend of Rs 1 lakh per year. MGNREGA workers will get wage of Rs 400 per day. Farmers will get MSP, loan waiver and insurance of Rs 25 lakh. Congress party will provide social security to all the people," he explained.
Shivakumar further asserted confidence in the Congress party coming to power in the Centre.
"BJP hasn't given tickets to half of its sitting MPs from the State and that shows its insecurity. BJP will not be able to win even 200 seats in the country. Congress government will come to power in the Centre and it will benefit all of you," he said.
"We have started the campaign by offering prayers to Lord Ganesha at Kurudumalai. We have walked the talk in the previous election. Now, Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi have made many promises to make your life better and it will be delivered promptly. Congress candidate Gautam is educated and wise. He will take everyone with him. All of you must support him like the son of the district," he added.
Shivakumar campaigned for the party's candidate in Kolar, KV Gautam today before the latter submitted his nomination papers to the District Collector.
Karnataka, which has 28 Lok Sabha seats, will vote in two phases on April 26 and May 7. Elections for the Kolar Lok Sabha Constituency will be conducted on April 26 in the second phase.
BJP's S Muniswamy is the current MP of Kolar. Muniyappa clinched a landslide victory with a margin of 210021 votes against Indian National Congress (INC) candidate KH Muniyappa in the 2019 general elections.
In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the Congress and JD-S fought together against the BJP and the combine was decimated. The BJP had won a record 25 seats; Congress and JD-S won just one seat each. In the 2014 Lok Sabha election, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won 17 seats, while the Indian National Congress (INC) won 9, and the Janata Dal (Secular) two seats.
The Lok Sabha Elections 2024 will be held in seven phases, starting on April 19. The counting of votes is on June 4. (ANI)