Bengaluru, April 23 (). A series of communal incidents in Karnataka’s Shivamogga brought the constituency into the national limelight. The matches and developments there are now being keenly watched.
Regarding the assembly elections to be held in the state on May 10, the BJP has appointed former minister K.S. Eshwarappa was denied ticket from Shivamogga seat and fielded an ordinary party worker from there which became big news.
On the other hand, the Congress has bypassed seniors and given ticket to a young leader belonging to the family of a freedom fighter. While the BJP is going into the polls with a Hindutva agenda, the Congress is seeking votes for a peaceful Shivamogga.
The brutal killing of Bajrang Dal activist Harsha in Shivamogga last year had created a tense atmosphere and curfew was imposed in the city for over eight days.
Even after normalcy was restored, incidents of stabbing continued. Last year, Hindu activists were stabbed after a dispute over the installation of Veer Savarkar flex during the celebration of 75 years of India’s independence.
The Shivamogga constituency comprises the areas under the jurisdiction of the Shivamogga Municipal Corporation. The constituency has 2,56,373 voters, including 62,000 Muslim voters, SC/ST (50,000), Lingayat (40,000), Brahmin (30,000), Kuruba (20,000) and 15,000 Vokkaligas.
The seat is currently represented by BJP leader and former minister Eshwarappa. The party currently has municipal corporation member S.N. Channabasappa as its candidate. Eshwarappa has announced his retirement from electoral politics.
Channabasappa will face former BJP leader Ayanur Manjunath, who joined the JD(S) after being denied a ticket. Congress youth leader H.C. Yogesh while AAP has fielded T. Netravati.
Though it seems to be a straight fight between Manjunath and Channabasappa, but according to the locals, the Congress candidate may give surprising results.
The BJP won the constituency in 1983. Eshwarappa in 1989 against K.H. He emerged victorious by defeating Srinivasa. He won in 1994, 2004, 2008 and 2018.
Senior BJP leader Captain Ganesh Karnik told that Shivamogga witnessed incidents of communal violence during the Ganesh festival after a long time. Jihadi mentality of not respecting the law and converting India into an Islamic state is found in groups of people, he said. The number of Muslim voters in Shivamogga constituency has crossed 62,000.
Karnik asserted that BJP candidate Channabasappa has been a committed party worker for four decades. His entire family is devoted to the party and ideology. The ideology of nationalism is not against Muslims, it is not about appeasement of anyone.
Asked about Manjunath leaving the BJP, Karnik said, he (Manjunath) received all facilities from the party as MLA, MP and MLC. The party took its time as the candidates were too many and the BJP fielded candidates after understanding the strategy of the Congress party.
Congress candidate Yogesh insisted that he would work for a peaceful Shivamogga and a corruption-free administration.
It will be interesting to see who gets a larger share of Muslim votes in the assembly elections – JD(S) or Congress. If Muslim votes get split between Congress and JD(S), BJP’s victory will be easier. Locals say it is a close contest and it will be a triangular fight between JD(S), Congress and BJP.
PK/SKP
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