BELAGAVI: Belagavi district with second highest variety of meeting seats after Bengaluru Urban — is predicted to face powerful contest between the BJP and Congress as Lingayat politics surmounts the native points, however the Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti (MES) may play spoilsport in just a few seats because it desires to maintain the border challenge alive. There are 18 meeting constituencies within the border district which is a Lingayat stronghold and has been a BJP bastion within the final twenty years.
As within the final three elections, it’s more likely to be a straight contest between the BJP and Congress in a lot of the meeting seats barring 5 the place the Shiv Sena-NCP supported MES — a vocal proponent of the inclusion of Belagavi and different Marathi-speaking areas in Maharashtra — has fielded native candidates.
The management vacuum within the Lingayat group after sidelining of stalwart chief B S Yediyurappa, demise of some distinguished native Lingayat BJP leaders like Suresh Angadi and Umesh Katti and rising clout of politically influencial Jarkiholi household belonging to scheduled tribes group — are anticipated to resonate amongst voters.
The exit of many disgruntled BJP leaders together with three-time MLA and former Deputy Chief Minister Laxman Savadi from Belagavi, over denial of the ticket for the upcoming meeting election — is more likely to dent some votes right here. On the opposite hand, MES is attempting onerous to maintain the border challenge alive in Belagavi, which was a part of the erstwhile Bombay Presidency and constitutes practically 40 per cent Marathi-speaking inhabitants. The triangular struggle may dent votes of nationwide events in 5 Marathi-speaking dominated constituencies.
Five of the constituencies within the district are dominated by Marathas, whereas Lingayats kind a majority in a lot of the 13 remaining constituencies. There is a large inhabitants of OBCs and SCs/STs as nicely, with two seats reserved for these teams within the district. In the district, the place many elected representatives are sugar barons, three highly effective political households — the Jharkiholis, the Jolles and the Khattis — get pleasure from electoral dominance.
From the Jharkiholi household, Ramesh Jarkiholi and Balachandra Jarkiholi are contesting on a BJP ticket from Gokak and Arabhavi meeting constituencies, respectively. Another member of the household, Satish Jarkihol is contesting on a Congress ticket from theYemkanmardi seat. The Jarkiholi brothers are identified to vary events. Ramesh Jarkiholi was a minister within the Congress-JD(S) coalition authorities earlier than becoming a member of the BJP ranks. He was among the many 17 MLAs who defected from the Congress and helped BJP to topple the Congress-JDS coalition authorities in 2019.
Ramesh’s clout within the district is difficult to disregard as he has ensured BJP ticket to his followers who defected from Congress, which has upset the standard occasion leaders particularly his political rival Laxman Savadi Another distinguished household are Jolles represented by the incumbent Muzrai (Religious and Charitable Endowments) minister Shashikala Jolle who’s contesting on BJP ticket from Nippani constituency. Her husband Anna Saheb Jolle is the BJP Lok Sabha member from Chikkodi in Belagavi district.
From the Khatti household, Ramesh Khatti — who represented the Chikkodi parliamentary constituency from 2009-2014 — is contesting on a BJP ticket from the Chikkodi-Sadalga MLA seat this time, whereas his nephew Nikil Katti from Hukkeri meeting constituency after premature demise of his father Umesh Khatti, who was an eight time MLA and 6 time minister.
After quitting BJP over denial of a ticket, Laxman Savadi is contesting on a Congress ticket from the Athani meeting seat to avenge his humiliation from the saffron occasion, particularly Ramesh Jarkiholi. He has to face Mahesh Kumathalli, then within the Congress, now the BJP nominee Ramesh has variations with some Congress leaders like Laxmi Hebbalkar who’s contesting from Belagavi Rural seat. Both of them are contesting from totally different constituencies however are attempting onerous to defeat one another to settle private grudges.
There are 39.01 lakh voters within the 18 meeting constituencies of Belagavi district. Out of which, 19,68,928 are male voters, 19,32,576 girls and 141 registered as Others, as per the official knowledge. In the 2018 polls, the BJP gained 10 and Congress 8 seats, which modified after the defections in 2019. Three Congress MLAs Ramesh Jarkiholi (Gokak), Mahesh Kumathalli (Athani) and Shrimanth Patil (Kagwad) resigned and joined the BJP.
