As temperatures soar to 40 degrees Celsius in Belgaum district, campaigning for the Lok Sabha elections is proving to be a daunting challenge for candidates and political leaders. Officials are exploring different strategies to evade the intense heat, which is not only impacting candidates but also dampening voter participation in political events.
In recent weeks, Belgaum city, typically known for its mild summer climate, has experienced a gradual increase in temperatures, rendering outdoor activities strenuous and unpleasant. Despite the challenging conditions, leaders are persevering in their efforts to engage with voters, with few alternatives available. They are enduring the heat, even experiencing weight loss and acquiring tans in the process.
Since early April, the district has experienced maximum temperatures ranging from 37 to 38 degrees Celsius and minimum temperatures of 22 to 24 degrees Celsius. This year, the temperatures are elevated due to insufficient rainfall and the depletion of water bodies. Both the BJP and Congress parties have declared their candidates for the Belgaum and Chikkodi Lok Sabha constituencies.
Because of the fierce competition, candidates are actively involved in vigorous campaigning. To avoid the scorching midday heat, they are choosing to campaign during the cooler morning and evening hours. Nonetheless, it is expected that once the nominations are filed, candidates will find ways to make the most of the entire day.
“No doubt the candidates as well as leaders are facing huge hurdles while campaigning. We are starting campaigning early in the morning and continue in the evening.
We have also decided to distribute caps to the workers to protect them from the heat,” stated, president of the Belgaum Rural district unit of Congress, Vinay Navalagatti.
Subhash Patil, BJP’s Belgaum (Rural) district said: “We don’t have much time for election preparation. Thus, we are campaigning amid the heat. We take some rest during noon hours. However, we are managing both poll campaigning as well as the heat,” he said.
