It's Congress guarantees vs Modi-Deve Gowda factor in key LS constituencies in Karnataka

The scorching summer heat had not stopped political parties from actively campaigning in the 14 constituencies in Karnataka. The top leaders and candidates have been sweating it out conducting mega-shows and rallies.

BJP aiming to match 2019 LS poll tally

The Congress-ruled state is witnessing an important political battle with the embattled BJP desperately trying to match its 2019 Lok Sabha poll tally, especially after its drubbing in the Assembly election last year.

In 2019, the BJP had won 25 Lok Sabha seats in Karnataka with a vote share of 51.2 percent, while the Congress, Janata Dal (Secular) and Independent candidate (Sumalatha supported by BJP) had bagged one seat each.

The Congress needs to follow up on its victory in the Assembly election last year and ensure the state sends more MPs to the Lok Sabha for the Congress.

For the JD(S), it continues to be a matter of survival. Polling will be held in all the three constituencies the JD(S) is contesting in the first phase of polling in Karnataka.

A total of 247 candidates are vying for the 14 seats in the state. The 14 constituencies that are going to polls on April 26 are Udupi-Chikmagalur, Hassan, Dakshina Kannada, Chitradurga, Tumkur, Mandya, Mysore, Chamarajanagar, Bengaluru Rural, Bengaluru North, Bengaluru Central, Bengaluru South, Chikkaballapura and Kolar.

Key constituencies, issues and rallies

Of the 14, the key constituencies that are being keenly watched are Mandya, Bengaluru Rural, Mysore, Hassan, Bengaluru South, Bengaluru North and Bengaluru Central.

Diverse issues such as the implementation of CAA, the alleged ‘love jihad’, the five guarantees offered by the Congress, discrimination of Centre against Karnataka, Kannada pride, dominated the high-decibel electoral campaigns.

National-level leaders from various political parties, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP national president J P Nadda Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi, and Congress president Mallikarjuna Kharge, have actively reached out to voters in Karnataka.

Multiple visits of Prime Minister Modi to address election rallies showed that the BJP is hoping to clinch this election riding on the back of Modi’s popularity.

Meanwhile, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Congress’s Karnataka party chief D K Shivakumar tirelessly crisscrossed 14 constituencies, especially the old Mysuru region and addressed a host of poll rallies and meetings for the party's candidates. Similarly, BJP leaders including Yediyurappa, state party chief Vijayendra travelled through the length and breadth of 14 constituencies to reach out to grassroots workers.

Fight for Vokkaliga heartland

All eyes are on the Mandya Lok Sabha constituency in the old Mysore region, because former CM and JD(S) lieutenant H D Kumaraswamy is contesting from here. Since the regional party struck an alliance with the BJP, the spotlight is on Kumaraswamy and his role in the post-poll political scenario in the state and at the Centre.

After its drubbing in the Assembly polls, this Lok Sabha elections is a do-or-die battle for the JD(S), especially in Mandya. A victory in the general elections could rekindle hope of revival for the JD(S).

The battle for the ‘Vokkaliga heartland’ hit a new high with the two Vokkaliga titans, Kumaraswamy and Karnataka Congress president DKS, going all out to outdo each other. Kumaraswamy has entered the fray for the first time from Mandya, where his son Nikhil Kumaraswamy lost to Independent candidate Sumalatha Ambareesh in 2019.

Kumaraswamy is up against one of the richest Congress candidates, Venkataramane Gowda also known as “Star Chandru”, who declared assets worth ₹233-crore. To defeat Kumaraswamy in the Vokkaliga heartland, both Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar are extensively touring and campaigning in the region. For the outcome on June 4 will shape the Vokkaliga political leadership in Karnataka.

Congress vs Modi-Deve Gowda duo in Bengaluru Rural

Likewise, it is a question of Vokkaliga dominance in Bengaluru Rural constituency, as well. This constituency has a mix of urban voters in Bengaluru, in the adjacent Ramanagara and in parts of Tumkur. The picture here can be described as Congress’s battle against the Modi and Deve Gowda duo. For the Congress, it is important to hold on to this seat, which was the only one they had managed to secure in the previous Lok Sabha polls.

Moreover, the stakes are high since the sitting MP and brother of D K Shivakumar, D K Suresh, is the one who is seeking re-election from this constituency. Former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda’s son-in-law Dr C N Manjunath is his main rival in the constituency.

Cardioologist Dr Manjunath, who served in the Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences, is banking on his clean image and support of the traditional base of JD(S) and BJP. Three-time MP D K Suresh has the support of party MLAs in the rest of the five Assembly segments of this Lok Sabha constituency.

BJP and JD(S) together have pinned their hopes on three constituencies – Rajarajeshwari Nagar, Bengaluru South and Channapatna – which are being represented by both the parties in the legislative assembly.

According to sources in Vokkaligara Sangha, of the total 27 lakh voters, significantly over 12 lakh are in Rajarajeshwari and Bengaluru south segment.

Siddaramaiah’s home turf and his prestige

It is a question of prestige for Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah to win in the Mysore-Kodagu and Chamarajanagar constituencies, which fall on his home turf. As both seats are with the BJP now, Siddaramaiah has drawn a road map to wrest the constituencies from the saffron party.

Siddaramiah is trying to strike an emotional and sentimental chord with the electorate here asking them to elect the Congress candidate and strengthen his hands to continue as chief minister for a full five-year term.

He personally set up camp in this constituency twice to strategise on winning both the seats. The support extended by his former colleague and senior Dalit leader of the region, Srinivasa Prasad is believed to be helping Congress to some extent.

Modi in Mysuru

Meanwhile, the BJP brought their trump-card Modi to Mysuru to attract electorates from Mysuru, Chamarajanagar, Hassan and Mandya. While Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar is contesting on the BJP ticket, M Lakshman, a close associate of Siddaramaiah is the Congress candidate.

In Chamarajanagar, the contestants seem to be on an equal footing as Sunil Bose, son of social welfare minister H C Mahadevappa faces BJP’s S Balraj.

Congress prevails in Narasimharaja, Chamaraja, Periyapatna, Virajpet and Madikeri assembly segments, while the JD(S) has two – Hunsur and Chamundeshwari and BJP has just the KR Nagar constituency.

While BJP is fighting the battle banking on Modi’s charisma, Congress is targeting women voters, who are principal beneficiaries of the party's famed guarantee schemes for women.

Siddaramaiah and Deve Gowda cross swords in Hassan

Considered to be the bastion of Janata Dal (Secular), the Hassan Lok Sabha constituency is also dominated by the Vokkaliga community.

Former prime minister H D Deve Gowda has represented this constituency five times. Hassan, which is a key constituency in this election, is widely seen as a JD(S) stronghold. Out of the eight Assembly segments that fall under this Lok Sabha seat, the JD(S) holds four and Congress shares Kadur and Arsikere segments of Assembly, while BJP shares the Belur and Arkalgud seats.

It has now become a matter of prestige for both Deve Gowda and his one-time protégée Siddaramaiah to win here.

Recently, Deve Gowda, former prime minister vowed that Siddaramaiah would suffer “garvabhanga”(broken pride) with the victory of BJP-JD(S) alliance in Mysuru and Chamarajanagar seats. To which Siddaramaiah retorted that he does not suffer from pride or arrogance it is just the innate self-esteem of Kannadigas that rises strong to safeguard Kannada and Karnataka.

The campaign pitch went strident as Hassan has now turned out to be a battleground for Deve Gowda and Siddaramaiah. It seems to be more about them rather than the Congress and BJP JD (S) alliance candidates contesting in this constituency.

One thing is certain, however, emotions are running high in this constituency as the candidates here are the grandsons of old rivals, H D Deve Gowda and former MP late G Puttaswamy Gowda. Prajwal Revanna and Shreyas M Patel are carrying on the rivalry of their grandfather in this political war in this prestigious seat.