In North Karnataka, contestants’ wives and husbands hit campaign trail

HUBBALLI: We will stay on the campaign trail, for better or for worse, no matter what the result: The vigour with which they have taken up election canvassing would have one believe that spouses of various candidates in Karnataka have given a new spin to traditional wedding vows.
The wives of prominent candidates in Dharwad, Bidar and other constituencies have launched determined campaigns for their husbands — in some cases even before parties made formal ticket announcements — even as the husbands of women candidates in Bagalkot and Vijayapura aggressively campaign for the success of their wives.
With less than three weeks to go before North Karnataka goes to the polls in the second phase on April 23, spouses of several candidates have taken to stumping across constituencies from morning till late in the evening.
Jyothi Joshi, the wife of Pralhad Joshi, the BJP candidate from Dharwad, has been aggressively canvassing in the constituency for the past week but began the campaign for a husband a month ago.
In Bidar, Geetha Khandre, the wife of Eshwar Khandre, the Congress candidate from Bidar, is doing her best to win over voters, particularly women, in the constituency.
Rising temperatures in the region have forced these electioneering spouses to work out daily strategies to effectively target voters. Most start campaigning around 8am and rest between 1pm and 4pm before hitting the trail again from 4pm to 9pm. The wives may address small meetings in wards, but they have also formed groups of women party workers who arrange for them to meet voters at their doorsteps.
“I take party workers, both men and women, when I tour the constituency to canvass,” Jyothi Joshi told TOI. “We highlight my husband’s achievements — cement roads, upgrading of the airport, development of classrooms and other development projects. I also play up Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s achievements. I will visit Kundagol, Kalghatgi, Navalgund and other areas in Hubballi and Dharwad.”
Geetha Khandre, a medical doctor, said she is focusing on a door-to-door campaign. “I meet voters, particularly women, at their doorstep and convince them to elect my husband Eshwar Khandre,” she said. “I have completed canvassing in Balki, where I emphasised my husband’s work as an MLA in the constituency, and will now head to Bidar.”
The husbands of candidates are sweating it out for their partners too. Vijayanand Kashappanavar, the husband of Veena Kashappanavar, the Congress candidate from Bagalkot, and Nagathana MLA Devanand Chavan, the husband of Sunita Chavan, the JD(S) candidate from Vijayapura, are holding rallies and public meetings in to muster support for their wives.