Disappointment Among Congress Ranks as Ullagaddimath Misses Ticket, Pledges Support to Asooti

Hubballi: Rajat Ullagaddimath, a prominent Congress figure and one of the hopefuls for the Dharwad Lok Sabha seat, has announced his support for Congress party candidate Vinod Asooti. Ullagaddimath, along with his supporters and well-wishers, pledged their allegiance to Asooti after Ullagaddimath failed to secure the party ticket.

A gathering of Rajat Ullagaddimath’s supporters, well-wishers, and like-minded individuals took place at a city hotel on Friday evening in response to Ullagaddimath’s ticket setback.

Expressing disappointment, senior Congress leader Altaf Halwoor remarked on the party’s decision, noting that Ullagaddimath, a dedicated party worker, had tirelessly worked to fortify the party’s foundations and had been primed to contest the election. However, he was passed over in favor of honoring the principles of social justice.

Leader of the Opposition in the HDMC, Suvarna Kallakuntla, echoed similar sentiments, stating that many party members were left disheartened by the decision not to nominate Ullagaddimath for the election. Kallakuntla highlighted Ullagaddimath’s significant contributions to the party, particularly during the Covid pandemic, where he had assisted hundreds of people.

Reflecting on past missed opportunities, Rajat Ullagaddimath lamented that he had previously missed out on contesting the Assembly election when former CM Jagadish Shettar joined Congress and ran for office. This time, despite his capabilities, he found himself sidelined as the party chose Vinod Asooti as their candidate for the constituency.

In conclusion, the meeting resolved to throw their support behind Asooti, pledging to exert all efforts to ensure his victory in the constituency.