Newly-elected BJP MP from Tumakuru V. Somanna on Wednesday said his election campaign drew more strength from the Janata Dal (Secular) than the BJP.
Mr. Somanna, who paid a visit to a private hospital in Mysuru, where BJP leader Kapu Siddalingaswamy is undergoing treatment, said he will never be able to forget the efforts of the JD(S) leaders in his election campaign.
Recalling the contributions of former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda and former Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy and other JD(S) leaders during his election campaign, Mr. Somanna said the regional party’s contribution was “double” the efforts of the BJP leaders during his campaign in Tumakuur.
While Mr. Gowda campaigned in the constituency on four occasions, Mr. Kumaraswamy campaigned on five occasions, he recalled, and said the BJP and JD(S) had worked as two sides of the same coin during the election campaign. The NDA could have won all the seats in the State had a similar co-ordination taken place across all the 28 Lok Sabha constituencies, he said. Though he expected to win by a margin of 2 lakh votes, he fell short of the target by 24,000 votes, he said.
Mr. Somanna said he was looking forward to start work in the constituency by winning the hearts of the people of Tumakuru. Apparently referring to the losses he suffered from Varuna and Chamarajanagar Assembly constituencies in the last Assembly elections, Mr. Somanna said he had now come out of eleven months of political hibernation.
Developing Tumakuru
Among other things, Mr. Somanna said he would like to accord priority to developing Tumakuru, which is barely 36 km away from Bengaluru’s border, as another satellite town, to reduce the stress on the State capital. He felt this could be achieved by including Tumakuru in the overall development of Bengaluru.
He said attention will also be paid to irrigation and other languishing multi-purpose projects in the constituency. The proposed second facility of HAL and international airport at Tumakuru will also be brought under focus, he said.
When asked about the possibility of his inclusion in the Union Cabinet, Mr. Somanna said any decision in the regard would have to be taken by the seniors, but added that he would work for the people if given such an opportunity.
