Congress banks on DKS’ strategy to ensure victory for Mithun Rai in DK

MANGALURU: Trouble shooter and strategist of Congress, D K Shivakumar, who ensured ticket to youth leader

Mithun M Rai

in

Dakshina Kannada

constituency, will campaign and take the latter to victory line, if sources are to be believed.

Besides Shivakumar, Congress general secretary

K C Venugopal

, who was also instrumental in convincing the high command to give ticket to a new face in Dakshina Kannada, will hit the campaign trail in the district, according to the party leaders.

The entry of the party heavyweights and fielding a youth in the district have boosted the morale of Congress leaders and party workers, who have not been able to elect their successive candidates to Parliament for the past 28 years. BJP has won the constituency for seven straight terms. Shivakumar is known for succeeding in achieving the goal, and the party is banking heavily on this. With

Mithun

being considered the poster boy of Shivakumar, Congress here is banking on the latter’s strategies to attract votes in constituencies like Belthangady, Puttur and Sullia, which have good population of Vokkaliga and SC/ST electorates.

Sources in Congress told STOI that though there were many aspirants for the ticket, Venugopal and Shivakumar convinced the high command that it is better to give chance to a youth.

This factor had worked for BJP in the last assembly elections, when it gave tickets to youths like Harish Poonja and Dr Bharath Y Shetty, and saw them elected as MLAs to Belthangady and Mangaluru North, respectively. Sources also added that Shivakumar had demanded only one ticket, and it was for Dakshina Kannada parliamentary constituency, assuring all support to the chosen candidate.

As per plans, Shivakumar will concentrate and hold several campaigns in Belthangady, Puttur and Sullia. He is expected to arrive here in the first week of April and tour the district for some days. Congress leaders like B Ramanath Rai, U T Khader, K Vasanth Bangera, Ivan D’Souza and others have been directed by the party top brass to concentrate on these constituencies, said to be BJP vote bank.

Shivakumar was not available for comment.

Do-or-die situation for Congress

With Congress fielding a fresh face after decades, the poll has put the party in ‘do or die’ situation. Congress had lost in seven of the eight the constituencies in the last assembly elections. Also, it has not bagged the MP seat for decades.

“If we fail in this

election

, there are chances of the party being cornered along with the first line of leaders. If the candidate wins, it will boost the morale of supporters and also rejuvenate party at the booth level. So despite personal differences, all are working unitedly to ensure victory to Mithun,” said a Congress leader.