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The second phase of polling in 14 Lok Sabha constituencies on Tuesday will see a bipolar electoral contest between the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party in Karnataka. It will be a deciding factor for the political survival of many BJP candidates and the political future of children of many Congress Ministers.
This phase of election will see the conclusion of voting for the election of 28 MPs from Karnataka to the 18th Lok Sabha. Counting will be on June 4.
Narratives at play
These constituencies located in central and northern Karnataka have seen numerous castes, religious, ideological, gender, economic and political identities being discussed in the course of the campaign at various points of time. However, the main discourse towards the tail end of the campaign veered towards “kaam (performance of guarantees of the Congress government) versus Ram (Hindutva)“ in the region where the BJP made a clean sweep in 2019. The role of rebel candidates and murder of student Neha Hiremath may play a role in many constituencies.
These constituencies, which have a significant presence of the Veerashaiva-Lingayat community, enabled the BJP to find a political footing in South India. The region is significant for the BJP to regain its vote share it had lost in 2023 Assembly elections and also keep its number of MPs intact. Banking on five “guarantees”, the Congress hopes to improve its tally in these constituencies. The party, which had drawn a blank in 2019, has secured a huge chunk of seats in the last Assembly polls in these segments.
The JD(S), which has largely played a supporting role to the BJP, is battling an alleged sexual abuse case involving MP Prajwal Revanna and his father and MLA H.D. Revanna. The JD(S) has, however, not fielded any candidates.
Acid test for veterans
The election would test the future and political relevance of former Chief Ministers Jagadish Shettar (Belagavi), Basavaraj Bommai (Haveri), former Minister B. Sriramulu (Ballari), former Speaker Vishweshwara Hegde Kageri (Uttara Kannada), and former BJP leader K.S. Eshwarappa (Shivamogga).
The poll would be an acid test for Union Minister Prahlad Joshi, who is challenged by Lingayat seer Dingaleshwar Swami and campaigned against him alleging neglect of the community. Another Union Minister Bhagwant Khuba (Bidar) is likely to face a tough battle owing to internal groupism in the BJP.
It would be a battle of political prestige for the Jarkiholi brothers in Belagavi, and families of B.S. Yediyurappa in Shivamogga, and Shyamanur Shivashankarappa in Davangere.
Six women and two ex-IAS officers are in the fray in these constituencies.
Ministers’ children
Voters would also decide the fate of children of four Ministers contesting elections for the first time.
Mr. Shettar is fighting against debutant Mrinal Hebblakar, son of Women and Child Development Minister Laxmi Hebbalkar in Belagavi. In Chikkodi, Priyanka Jarkiholi, daughter of Public Works Minister Satish Jarkihoi, is in the fray against Annasaheb Jolle, BJP MP. Independent candidate and former IAS officer Shambu Kallolikar might damage Congress’s chances.
Agriculture Marketing Minister Shivananda Patil’s daughter Samyukta Patil is in the battle in Bagalkot against BJP’s P.C. Gaddigoudar, MP. Veena Kashappanavar, wife of Congress MLA Vijayananda Kashappanavar, who was ticket aspirant, could again spoil Ms. Patil’s chances. In Bidar, another Minister Eshwar Khandre has fielded his son Sagar against Mr. Khuba.
Battle of wives
In a “battle of wives” in Davangere, Prabha Mallikarjun, wife of Minister S.S. Mallikarjun, is facing Gayathri Siddeshwar, wife of G.M. Siddeshwara, BJP MP. Independent candidate G.B. Vinaykumar from the Kuruba community is likely to cut the votes of both parties.
It’s a battle of prestige for AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge in Kalaburagi, who is leading the campaign against Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Mr. Kharge’s son-in-law Radhakrishna Doddamani is up against Umesh Jadhav (BJP). Mr. Kharge lost to Mr. Jadhav in 2019.
Triangular contest
Shivamogga constituency is likely to witness a triangular contest. BJP rebel leader Mr. Eshwarappa challenged the “dynasty politics” of Mr. Yediyurappa, whose son B.Y. Raghavendra is contesting against Geetha Shivarajkumar (Congress), daughter of former Chief Minister S. Bangarappa.
