Bengaluru: The Congress and BJP will lock horns on the electoral battleground again in less than a fortnight in Karnataka, as the stage is set for the second phase of elections in the 14 remaining Lok Sabha seats on Tuesday.
It is going to be a straight fight between the ruling Congress and BJP in Parliamentary segments in the northern districts. The JD(S) is not contesting in these seats and is supporting its National Democratic Alliance (NDA) partner -- the BJP.
The state has a total of 28 Lok Sabha constituencies. The first phase of polling in 14 seats in most of the southern and coastal districts was held on April 26.
A total of 227 candidates -- 206 men and 21 women -- are in the fray for the second phase.
More than 2.59 crore voters are eligible to exercise their franchise in 28,269 polling stations where voting will take place between 7 am to 6 pm.
The segments where elections will be held on Tuesday are: Chikkodi, Belgaum, Bagalkot, Bijapur, Gulbarga, Raichur, Bidar, Koppal, Bellary, Haveri, Dharwad, Uttara Kannada, Davangere and Shimoga.
In the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, BJP had swept all these 14 seats, defeating Congress and JD(S), which were in alliance and ruling the state then.
Having scored a thumping victory in the Assembly elections last year, the Congress now appears determined to put up a strong show.
Karnataka is the most important state for the BJP in south India as it's only here that it has held power in the past.
Speaking to PTI, Karnataka Chief Electoral Officer Manoj Kumar Meena said adequate security arrangements have been made for Tuesday's polling.
"Around 1.45 lakh polling officials have been deployed across the 14 constituencies. In addition, 35,000 civil police personnel, 65 companies of Central Paramilitary forces and armed police of other states will be deployed for the polling day," he said.
Besides this, 4,000 micro-observers will also be on duty and 17,000 polling stations will be covered by webcasting, he added.
Davangere has the maximum number of 30 candidates, followed by 23 in Shimoga and Raichur has the least number - eight.
Former Chief Ministers Basavaraj Bommai (Haveri) and Jagadish Shettar (Balgaum), Union Ministers Pralhad Joshi (Dharwad) and Bhagwanth Khuba (Bidar) -- all from BJP; Congress' Geetha Shivrajkumar (Shimoga) -- wife of actor Shivrajkumar and daughter of former CM S Bangarappa and AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge's son-in-law Radhakrishna Doddamani (Gulbarga), are among the prominent names in the fray.
Also in the contest are MP and veteran BJP leader B S Yediyurappa's son B Y Raghavendra, suspended party leader and former Deputy CM K S Eshwarappa -- both from Shimoga, former Speaker Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri and ex-Minister B Sreeramulu of BJP from Uttara Kannada and Bellary respectively and retired IAS officer G Kumar Naik of Congress from Raichur.
Stakes are high for several Ministers in this phase with their children in fray.
Sons of Ministers Laxmi Hebbalkar and Eshwar Khandre - Mrinal Ravindra Hebbalkar and Sagar Khandre - are contesting from Belgaum and Bidar respectively, while daughters of Ministers Satish Jarkiholi and Shivanand Patil -Priyanka Jarkiholi and Samyukta Patil- are in contention in Chikkodi and Bagalkot respectively.
Prabha Mallikarjun, wife of Minister S S Mallikarjun and daughter-in-law of veteran Congress leader Shamanur Shivashankarappa, is in the fray from Davangere.
The Congress' performance in the elections, especially in the second phase which covers almost all Lingayat-dominated districts, is crucial, as the party did not win one of them in 2019, and to also check whether the grand old party has managed to retain the support of a section of Lingayats -- considered as the BJP's core vote-base -- which seemed to have somewhat shifted towards it in the 2023 Assembly polls.
The Lok Sabha election is being seen as a big test of sorts for Congress state unit chief D K Shivakumar, who has made no secret of his ambition to become chief minister, amid speculations of change in guard mid-way of the Assembly term. The stakes are also high for Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, as victory in this election is seen as key to strengthening his hands, analysts say.
It is also seen as a kind of a "litmus test" for state BJP president B Y Vijayendra, who has the onerous task of helping the party retain its supremacy in the Lok Sabha polls, by regaining its traditional Lingayat vote-base.
Ensuring a BJP sweep is paramount for the son of veteran leader B S Yediyurappa, to consolidate his position and silence critics who have questioned his selection to the post, overlooking seniors and seasoned hands.
The ruling Congress is mostly banking on the implementation of its populist five guarantee schemes while the BJP seems to be leveraging the "Modi factor" to the hilt.
Comments
Those killed Harish Poojari get bail and CBI find out the voice that terrorist Butta also free from jail.
those who did not killed anyone until now, they are in jail. Big tragedy in judicial system.
May Allah help those innocent, who suffering in jail, without any charge and punish those who criminal free from jail.
Mr Rafique , discussing about conversion is unwarranted here . comment on subject .
ISIS is biggest conspiracy of vested interests to malign islam , anti muslims are more feared spread of islamic idealogy through out the world.
Latest propaganda and arrests are part of that conspiracy in India also.
Insha Allah , Islam will overplay all conspiracies, as Al Qaida conspiracy calm down..
if you are a christain at home.....why there is always effort from your religion for foreceful conversion outside ?
And if you are a congress supporter or not I am not bothered. bcos all political parties are alike...
i cant believe, what the hell is happening in mangalore, look at him he cant hold one ice candy in his hand, and planned to carry big big bombs,
whether u partly agree or not , it is upto u ..
We all know which religion is creating more problem in the world. as per new records 467 out of 469 suicide bombings linked to your faith . it means something is really wrong and it has to be fixed and addressed and In india, we dont see your community integrated with rest of the population (may be 5% integration ), when they are alienated , this type of things do happen . Radical islam has to be blamed .Being a proud christians we say , we are proud Indians first and then we are christian at home . this concept will you accept ? certainly not. you people still in denial mode in this case , so what message are you giving it for the whole society? I am also a supporter of congress and i dont feel anything wrong in ITS action .
Partly agree with George.....
Keep aside religion - punish the anti National, irrespective of religion/caste. But we have concerns when people start targeting whole Muslim community,and painting in same brush as culprits.
i dont agree with muslims in this forum ... these guys working against India . so they need to have capital punishment . BJP is not targeting minorities , if it was it would not have arrested Hindu army and airforce guys who collaborated with ISI ... So I would say .. shoot to kill is the only solution for this menace . ISIS rogues are targeting youngsters .,when 100's of christaian terrorists were caught by agencies , particularly north east ... christian community didnot object it as it national cause nothing to do with religion .. so keep aside religion and think as indian
India has Supporters who like ISIS ideology like the one who was caught in Bangalore.
ISIS threatens #Bangalore Police after Mehdi’s arrest, warns of revenge
Bangalore ISIS is using IP addresses the UK sold to Saudi Arabia
Bangalore ISIS builts its own encrypted Android messaging app
Bangalore was amongst the safest area in India. Now, be it today's suspicious objects at Cauvery theater junction or ISIS's Shami Witness.
Viren.....looks like you are also victim of casteism.
As we all know even now there is widespread discrimination against Dalits..backward classes amongst majority community
so dont rejoice.....it may boomerang
In fact techie help stop people from joining ISIS
Nazmul Huda was encouraging youngsters to join a isis.
Karnataka turning into d safest place for Terrorists wake-up sidd
ATS arrested Najmul Hudha(25yrs) n Syed Hussain(25yrs) #ISIS terrorists in Mangalore n Tumkur. Central Govt. is targeting minorities.
All brilliant students from Muslim and Dalit community are being targeted by Sanghis and pro Sangh cops with the help of ISIS.
A good news finally. Subject them to rigorous interrogation and torture them until they speak out the truth.
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