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As dust settles on Karnataka by-elections, state leaders head to Maharashtra to campaign for assembly polls
Key figures from the Congress and BJP are actively participating in the campaigns to influence voter sentiment in critical constituencies
With the Karnataka bypolls behind them, political heavyweights from the state are now turning their attention to neighbouring Maharashtra, where assembly elections are set to take place on November 20. Key figures from the Congress and BJP are actively participating in the campaigns to influence voter sentiment in critical constituencies.
Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah has being campaigning for the Congress-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) campaign. On Friday, he kicked off his efforts by attending the 300th birth anniversary celebrations of Ahilyabai Holkar in Chodi village, Ahmednagar district. The ceremonial event marked the beginning of a packed schedule, including rallies in Jath and roadshows in Mukhed taluk, Nanded district.
Deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar is also deeply engaged in the campaign. After addressing gatherings in Bhiwandi and Chandivali on Friday, Shivakumar plans to visit key regions, including Akkalkot in Solapur district and Latur.
The renewed focus on Maharashtra comes against the backdrop of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent rallies in the state, where he launched scathing attacks on the Congress government in Karnataka. Modi alleged widespread corruption and economic mismanagement under chief minister Siddaramaiah’s administration, claiming that funds from these activities were being used to support the Congress campaign in Maharashtra.
In response, Siddaramaiah issued a sharp rebuttal, accusing the PM of spreading falsehoods. Speaking at a press conference in Solapur, the CM called Modi’s allegations “blatant lies” and dared him to substantiate the claims. “If the Prime Minister can prove that our government looted the people of Karnataka, I will retire from politics. But if he cannot, will he and his party leaders apologise to the people and announce their own retirement?” Siddaramaiah asked.
The Karnataka CM also criticised the BJP’s approach to welfare guarantees. “The PM claims our welfare schemes will ruin the economy, but the BJP itself has announced similar guarantees during elections in Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh. Why does Modi resort to such hypocrisy?” he questioned.
Siddaramaiah further accused the Modi government of prioritising the wealthy, saying, “They waived ₹16 lakh crore in loans for the rich but failed to waive a single rupee for farmers. Karnataka contributes ₹4.5 lakh crore annually to central taxes but receives only ₹60,000 crore in return. This injustice is unacceptable.”
Industries minister MB Patil, who is serving as an election observer, dismissed the PM’s allegations, labelling them as baseless. “We’re confident that our work will resonate with voters. Karnataka’s role in these elections will be as significant as it was in Telangana. Our leadership is actively debunking the false claims about our governance,” Patil said.
Home minister G Parameshwara has joined forces with Rajasthan’s former CM Ashok Gehlot to campaign in western Maharashtra, a region with 58 constituencies spanning Kolhapur, Nanded and Sangli. Additionally, they are focusing on border areas such as Belagavi and Kalaburagi, regions with deep cultural and political ties to Karnataka.
On the other side, the BJP has deployed its own Karnataka leaders to counter the Congress narrative. Senior BJP MLC CT Ravi has been active in the Maharashtra campaign for months.
Former Karnataka deputy CM CN Ashwath Narayan echoed the sentiments, emphasising the BJP’s focus on highlighting what he called governance failures of the Congress in Karnataka. “The Congress government has driven Karnataka to the brink of financial instability. Maharashtra voters need to understand the risks of replicating such governance in their state,” Narayan said at a press briefing in Pune.
