Villagers in Siddaramaiah’s home turf call for poll boycott

New Delhi, April 8

Residents of Alaganchi village in the Varuna Assembly constituency, the home turf of Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, have threatened to boycott the Lok Sabha elections.

Son of Siddaramaiah and Congress leader Dr Yatindra Siddaramaiah faced the ire of villagers on Monday. Yatindra was campaigning for Sunil Bose, Congress candidate for the Chamarajanagar Lok Sabha constituency, on April 7.

The villagers’ land was acquired by the Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Board (KIADB) to set up a sugar factory. These villagers want employment in the factory set up on the land acquired from them.

The protesters shouted, “You (Yatindra) are here for the election; otherwise, you will not have come.” They asked why Yatindra had not resolved the issue in consultation with his father so far. Yatindra left the scene, avoiding further confrontation.