Titans clash in Shikaripura in Shimoga District in K'taka

Shikaripura, May 13 (UNI) It is going to be a clash of Titans in this town as two poll veterans, S Bangarappa of the Samajwadi Party and B S Yeddyurappa of the BJP, will lock horns in the second phase of Karnataka Assembly elections scheduled to be held on May 16.

Both the former Chief Ministers were leaving no stone unturned to win the seat by addressing small gatherings in villages braving the scorching heat.

Though Mr Yeddyurappa has become a popular figure in the constituency, the battle-scarred veteran Bangarappa, with his charishmatic stature, is striving to defeat Yeddyurappa through his well-planned strategies.

Mr Bangarappa's entry into the fray has undoubtedly caused jitters to BJP chief ministerial candidate Mr Yeddyurappa, who, otherwise, would have won the seat unmindful of his political opponents.

The support by Congress to Mr Bangarappa has worried Mr Yeddyurappa to some extent as the Congress too enjoys a good number of committed voters like Mr Bangarappa. The only plus point for Mr Yeddyurappa was various developmental works cleared by him during his tenure as the Deputy Chief Minister and it should help him now.

But the villagers also remember with gratitude the timely help by Mr Bangarappa when he distributed rice to them following severe drought a few years ago. Though Mr Bangarappa hails from nearby Soraba Taluk, it was Shikaripura, which had given him the big lead during the elections to Lok Sabha.

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