Puttur : Congress Candidate from Puttur constituency Shakuntala Shetty  has challenged former chief minister DV Sadananda Gowda by stating that he should have contested against her in Puttur if she had the guts.

Speaking at an election campaign meeting of the Congress here, the former MLA said  it was the former CM who had  saw to it that she was expelled from the BJP after hurling accusations against her.

 She said the BJP men who indulged in immoral activities had no moral right to question the Congress. The candidate fielded form Puttur has only been made a scapegoat, Shakuntala said. Block Congress president Kavu Hemanath Shetty said there was total unity in the party and that everyone respected the decision of the high command to field Shakuntala Shetty from Puttur.

Congress leaders  N Sudhakar Shetty, Kadamajalu Subhas Rai, taluk panchayat member Mohammed Badagannur, senior leader Samettadka Gopalakrishna Bhat and others spoke on the occasion. Several BJP men including supporters of Swabhimani Vedike joined the Congress at the meeting.