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Karnataka: Cong-JD(S) tussle heats up contest for Sindagi and Hanagal bypolls
The parties are bracing up for the contest as the bypolls are being held ahead of the yet-to-be announced zilla and taluka panchayat elections as well as the 2023 assembly polls. The bypolls have particularly reignited the bitter rivalry between the Congress and JD(S)
Bengaluru: With Sindagi and Hanagal assembly constituencies heading to by-elections on October 30, the three major political parties in Karnataka — BJP, Congress and Janata Dal (Secular) — have been making all efforts to win the seats.
The parties are bracing up for the contest as the bypolls are being held ahead of the yet-to-be announced zilla and taluka panchayat elections as well as the 2023 assembly polls. The bypolls have particularly reignited the bitter rivalry between the Congress and JD(S) as the two parties slug it out away from their strongholds.
The by-elections have been necessitated as the seats fell vacant following the death of Sindagi JD(S) legislator M C Managuli and BJP’s C M Udasi from Hangal.
While Ramesh Bhusanur, who came second behind Managuli in 2018 polls, is the BJP candidate from Sindagi, Shivaraj Sajjanar is its candidate from Hangal.
The Congress has named Managuli’s son Ashok Managuli, who has joined the party, as its candidate from Sindagi, and MLC Srinivas Mane from Hangal. The JD(S) has fielded Naziya Shakeel Ahmed Angadi from Sindagi and Niyaz Shaikh from Hangal.
Congress leaders, including Siddaramaiah, have alleged that the JD(S) deliberately fielded minority candidates to help the BJP, resulting in war of words between the parties.
The Congress has for long accused the JD(S) of being the “B-team” of the BJP as both believe that the former is the common enemy.
“Their (JD(S)’s) intention is not good. Their intent is not to help minority candidates win. If this was the case, why give them (Muslims) tickets in these bypolls and not in Ramanagara, Mandya and Hassan,” Siddaramaiah said on Saturday.
JD(S) supremo HD Deve Gowda on Friday said that the Congress cannot act as if it has taken a “contract” of Muslim population and their votes.
The Congress and JD(S) have also traded poaching charges as the former has fielded Ashok Managuli.
“The people of Sindagi need not be misled. The leaders of the Congress are now disoriented after they did not even have a candidate. It is not right to smear the name of (MC) Managuli who had great loyalty to our party (JD(S)) and HD Deve Gowda,” HD Kumaraswamy said on Saturday in a post on Twitter.
“When did Managuli go to Shivakumar’s house? When did he ask that his son be accommodated? Their lies are disgusting. A person who was supposed to be our candidate was hijacked and now they are trying to con the people under these lies,” he added.
His statements come after senior Congress leaders claimed that the late MC Managuli had approached Siddaramaiah and DK Shivakumar to accommodate his son, Ashok, in the party.
The Congress and JD(S) share a tempestuous past but this battle has been mainly fought in the old Mysuru region where the BJP has been scouting to make new ground to help it return to power with a full majority in the 2023 assembly elections.
The bypolls are the first electoral challenge for chief minister Basavaraj Bommai after taking charge. Hangal is the neighbouring constituency to his Shiggaon assembly segment.
The bypolls have also presented Bommai with an opportunity to prove his mettle and step out of the shadow of his mentor and predecessor, BS Yediyurappa.
The recent income tax raids on Yediyurappa’s close associates have raised the question if the BJP is trying to contain the influence of the 78-year-old leader who has been planning a state-wide tour.
Though the BJP has been unsuccessful in moving away from dominant-caste politics, the party’s central leadership has tried to project Hindutva as the main platform that goes against Yediyurappa’s style of politics, Hindustan Times reported on September 1.
The BJP is leaving nothing to chance to secure victories in both bypoll constituencies.
BJP legislator and former minister Laxman Savadi said the party wants to win both constituencies by a big margin.
“Around seven teams have been formed for all seven zilla panchayats to help us win with a very big margin,” Savadi said.
The BJP has named a 26-member team of ministers, legislators and other leaders to help the party win the bypolls.
