Date:28/05/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/05/28/stories/2008052850980300.htm

Karnataka

He wins for the second time

Staff Correspondent

DAVANGERE: Senior Congress leader Shamanur Shivashankarappa’s victory has come as a shot in the arm for the leader, especially after he declared that this would be his last innings in his political career.

Mr. Shivashankarappa was the first candidate of any political party in the district to begin his campaign. Confident of being nominated to contest the polls, he started campaigning immediately after the election schedule was announced. He visited leaders of each ward, residential colony and extension in the constituency and took them to confidence. He also interacted with leaders of the minority communities, Other Backward Classes and the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes. He later undertook a door-to-door campaign covering the entire constituency. Although he is over 77, he was out campaigning from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. every day.

Development

Mr. Shivashankarappa has, through the Bapuji Education Association (BEA), contributed to the all-round development of Davangere. The economy of the district was in the doldrums when textile mills were closed down one after another for various reasons. Davangere later became a prominent educational hub with the BEA setting up a medical college, an engineering college and a management education institution. Apart from this, Mr. Shivashankarappa established a hospital, child health institute and a dental college and hospital, providing employment to several people.

He won by 6,358 votes against Yashwantharao Jadav of the Bharatiya Janata Party.

As H.S. Nagaraj of the Janata Dal (Secular) had also contested the elections from the same segment, a considerable chunk of votes were polled by him.

Mr. Nagaraj, who was instrumental in the Janata Dal (S) winning five seats in the corporation elections held some time ago, contested his maiden Assembly election this time, getting 19,163 votes. This was cited as the main reason why Mr. Shivashankarappa won by a a margin of just over 6,000 votes.

This is the second time successive time that he has won the Assembly elections from Davangere.