It is intriguing why the Congress party failed to press their latest mascot, Rahul Gandhi to campaign for the party in the constituencies which went to polls in the first phase. No explanation has been forthcoming on it. But they seem to be making up for the lost time by getting him to take up whirlwind tours for the second and third phase.

It was a different Rahul one saw in his first election campaign in Karnataka during the last two days. Having travelled in the State a few months back, as part of his "discover India" tour, Rahul who has been coming to the State even earlier, but always unobtrusively and without fanfare, seem to have developed a special liking for it. Being a tech-savvy young man, obviously the IT-savvy State is an attraction for him. However during these tours and also on his latest discover India visit he stuck to understanding the problems, and had refrained from making any hard political statements.

But what was evident for the first time on his campaign tour was that Rahul had turned a new leaf. From a learner, he is fast emerging as a campaigner. His speech in Kumta, Kundapur in the coast and other places that he heli-hopped on Monday, provided a clear glimpse of a fast-learning hard-hitting political campaigner. There was none of the nervousness he used to display earlier. His speech, in English, was extempore, unlike his mother who continues to read out speeches. He is obviously not a rabble rouser in  Narendra Modi mould, and prefers to make his points more subtly. He had carefully thought out his lines and delivered it with effect.

His praise of Karnataka, its progressive outlook, its vantage position in IT, drew huge and spontaneous applause. He then for the first time in the State, attacked the BJP and JD(S) Governments, in carefully constructed language, and warned about how Karnataka has slipped in many development as well as industrial indicators because of the two parties.

For the party leaders who have been hoping that he will emerge as a strong and effective campaigner, he did give them hopes. And in the coming days and weeks, he should gain in confidence further. The party leaders were also heartily surprised to see a large crowd waiting for the young man, even though he was more than three hours late.
It was interesting to compare the campaign styles of Rahul and the BJP's mascot, Narendra Modi, who addressed a meeting a few hours later, just 60 kms away in the communally sensitive town of Bhatkal in Uttar Kannada district. Modi was his usual aggressive self, drawing the double the crowd of Rahul. Though he did not use the hindutva card, his presence itself and his subtle digs about Congress' commitment to combat terrorism, was enough to raise the temperature.

The large Muslim population in the town and surrounding areas, though they kept away from the meeting, were virtually on the main road of the town, checking what Modi had said.

If these two campaigns were a study in contrast, the mega battle ground at Shikaripur was equally interesting. This is where the BJP's Chief Minister in waiting B.S.Yeddyurappa is arraigned against the Shimoga district strongman, the flamboyant but ageing S.Bangarappa. The latter known not to run away from a challenge, took it up on Tuesday, though it was rather unnecessary. He was so enraged by the preparations being made for a huge rally by Yeddyurappa, in Shikaripur which has been his personal bastion for long that Bangarappa decided to take him head on. So on Tuesday, just a couple of hours before Yeddyurappa's rally was to commence just a road away in the town, Bangarappa decided to organise one of his own. He also got Amar Singh and Jayaprada to fly down and address the gathering. He himself wanted to prove a point. That he can organise an equally large gathering, at short notice, than his rival. It is another matter that he failed in it, as the crowds he got, though impressive by normal standards of rallies in these tightly controlled elections, was no patch on the BJP rally.

But Bangarappa proved one point. The canard being spread systematically by his rivals, about his failing health was just that, a canard. That he spoke in his usual flamboyant self, and stood for over half an hour  as he spoke, was evidence enough, that he still has a lot of spunk left in him.

But obviously he faces his stiffest electoral challenge now, going by the wildly cheering crowds which had occupied ever nook and corner of the town. It was by far the largest crowd in an election rally witnessed during the last ten days that one has been travelling and covering campaign here. Even Advani in Bangalore or Sonia or Rahul have not managed to draw the kind of huge and enthusiastic crowds, Yeddyurappa managed. Obviously visions of their man becoming Chief Minister had better appeal than a man who is just out to spoil his chances. Bangarappa, though certainly not a push over, is finding it hard to explain to the voters, why he is contesting from Shikaripur, a new territory for him. His explanations, though enough for his die-hard supporters who have stood by him in the neighbouring Sorab constituency for decades, is not enough for the voters of this constituency.

Yeddyurappa, who has sensed it, therefore virtually avoided mentioning the challenge and took off about what all he has planned to do after becoming Chief Minister. He has taken his victory for granted and also him becoming the Chief Minister. The latter presumption though may be premature.