Mysore/Mysuru: Calling himself as a common man who is out to serve the people with humbleness, Mysuru-Kodagu Lok Sabha Constituency Congress candidate M. Lakshmana has asked people to choose between a gatekeeper, who serves the people 24×7 and a member of the erstwhile Mysore royal family to meet whom the people have to knock on the gates of the Palace.

Addressing a press meet at Congress Bhavan here this morning, a day after his candidature was announced by the AICC, Lakshmana said that it is the people who have to make a choice between a gatekeeper and the royal family member.

Pointing out that the Congress has given the party ticket to a Vokkaliga community leader after almost 50 years (Tulasidas Dasappa was the last Vokkaliga to contest on a Congress ticket from the then Mysuru LS seat in 1977), he said that this goes to disprove that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is anti-Vokkaliga.

Accusing the Opposition of falsely labelling the CM as anti-Vokkaliga, Lakshmana maintained that the BJP has forcibly made Yaduveer as the party candidate. Asserting that Yaduveer should not have fallen prey to the BJP’s plot and contest the polls, Lakshmana said that Congress Party’s guarantee schemes were surely going to help him in the polls.

The Congress candidate further said that Chief Minister  Siddaramaiah, who has taken his home Constituency seriously, will be visiting the city on Mar. 24 and 27. The party will be organising a mega convention of Mysuru-Kodagu districts in the city on Apr.11 as a show of strength of the party ahead of the Apr. 26 polls.

He further cautioned that there would be no Constitution nor reservation if the BJP is again voted to power at the Centre.