Bengaluru, March 16 – Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has called upon the women members of the Congress party to play a crucial role in the party’s victory in the by-elections for the Bagalkote and Davanagere South constituencies.
He was speaking on Monday at an executive meeting and training camp organized by the Karnataka Pradesh Mahila Congress. The CM stated, "Women members have an important role in raising public awareness about the government’s people-centric schemes."
He instructed that two teams of women members should be formed to actively participate in the campaign for the Bagalkote and Davanagere by-elections. He also recalled that the Congress had won the by-elections for Channapatna, Shiggaon, and Sandur in the past. He expressed confidence that the party must win both seats this time as well, and said that the Congress has made the necessary preparations for the elections.
The Chief Minister said that the Congress government has prioritized women's empowerment during 2013-2018 and again since 2023. He stated that under the Shakti scheme, one of the government’s major guarantee schemes, women have undertaken 700 crore journeys so far. Women-centric schemes have helped protect the rights of women, he added.
Siddaramaiah said that the government’s guarantee schemes have increased women's purchasing power. Under the Gruha Lakshmi scheme, 1.26 crore women are being provided a monthly assistance of Rs 2,000, which has improved their economic and social status. Economic independence has also boosted women's self-confidence, he said.
Quoting Dr B.R. Ambedkar, the Chief Minister said that the true meaning of freedom can be realized only when gender discrimination and inequality in society are eliminated.
He emphasised that leadership qualities among women are very important and that achieving equality becomes easier when equal opportunities are provided to everyone. He said that the Karnataka Pradesh Mahila Congress currently has more than one lakh women members, and the number should increase to two lakh in the future.
The bypolls to the Davangere South and Bagalkot Assembly constituencies, necessitated by the demise of former Ministers Shamanur Shivashankarappa and H.Y. Meti, respectively, will be held on April 9. Both the seats had been held by the Congress.
The bypolls are expected to witness a fierce battle as it has become a matter of prestige for the ruling Congress and the opposition BJP. The issue of choosing a candidate for the Davanagere South Constituency has become a bone of contention among cabinet ministers, B.Z. Zameer Ahmad Khan and S.S. Mallikarjun.
The seat was earlier held by Mallikarjun’s father, the late Shamanur Shivashankarappa. Zameer Ahmad Khan has demanded that the ticket be given to a candidate from the minority community. However, Minister Mallikarjun has said that Zameer is in no position to make comments regarding the Davanagere district.
Meanwhile, the BJP has pledged to win both seats and has already held a core committee meeting on candidate selection.