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
Death to the Global Jihad.
Death to Sharia.
Death to Islamism.
Jai Hind!
sir in my vision you are the great indian leader
sir in my vision you are the great leader in the indian history
sir in my vision you are the great leader in the indian histor
To Bopanna,
Hi Guy, Just study the fact in India itself Islam is growing faster than any religion. Most of the them who embraced Islam are Hindus. But they are educated, I don't know your knowledge
You need to refresh your mind. Please Don't waste the reader's time.
.
What's wrong in what he said ? He spoke the truth that Islam is a violent religion
Send him to mental hospital.
He should be wiped out and NOT ISLAM......Where are you Naren....we are missing you.... Lost in the Bangkok streets.....If you are still there, please take this MAD MAN to Bangkok....
This is a failed attempt to divert the public concentration from the issues like Rohit Vemula and JNU in Karnataka... Chaddi's will never learn from history.....
Nobody in India gave such statement against any religion.
Poor guy forgot Dr. Chittaranjan's fate in the same Bhatkal.
Now he is in risk, why unnecessarily inviting unbearable venture.
He is in Bhatkal. better apologize or prepare for the worst.
Don't worry until today those tried to wipeout islam are themself wiped out,it is a promise of almighty to the people till the last hour comes let witness those alive.
What a Joke!!!
If you want to come to Lime Light you utter such non-sense, actually he is pleading not appealing to the Media to publish his speech, otherwise who will know him, never heard his name before, now he is Star (Villain Star),
Way to go Anant Kumar!!
Like that barking only uneducated Pagal Kuttha so leave it.
More the people trying to defame Islam the more Islam is spreading. 9/11 was done to defame Islam since then more people studies Islam and accepted Islam. allahu akbar
Poor guy.. Joined politics couldnt do anything for the community. Nobody even knows him.. He did nothing. Now he wants to come on news headlines, want to be famous as getting old. Want to be hero among people who provoke.. Want to be another donald trump of india. My dear nobody cares for you. Nobody wants to know you.. Hehe what a waste having you in india.
Mr.AKD...just asks with your own Hindu Brothers & sisters those who live in Arabian Sand , how they enjoy their peace life with their family & children in Muslim countries ! Then you will come to know the real fact of terrorism.
COMMUNAL RAGAV, GO TO NEPAL FOR FREEDOM SPEECH ,///// WE NEED PEACE HERE,, [JAI HIND]
one more idiot appears in chaddi parivaar.
This stupid is dangerous to peace loving Hindu society
You better try yourself rather than asking others to do it. Most of the people in BJP are gone mad. O Hegde Islam is near to your door step. Come out if you dare to know the beauty of Islam.
Metal Manja This MP,
More you try to wipe out more it spreads
This RSS dog is trying to spread virus poison at Uttara Kannada surroundings. Hope peace loving Kannadiga's will kick him from power shortly.
All are well aware these are the special training from his dirty nagpur base.
But rss will never succeed fro any angle.
He is in the state of \vitiated by perversity nature\""
Where is the commnet from Ibraheem Hussain Udupi.
We muslims fuck you anthya kumra hedge...
See his pig face donkey...why media is publishing this type of dog news...
Islam is the religion which brings peace and tranquility to entire human kind, now it is your turn to accept Islam and do some good things, otherwise you will have to taste hell fire hereafter. Also you have to believe in last and final messenger of Allah \Mohammed Sallalahu Alaiwassallam\".....
I pray. May Allah give you hidaya (goodness) and accept Islam as soon as possible...."
Dear Mr. Anantha its not like make in india or Mad in india or something like that , this is Isalam one and only Fast Growing Religion throughout the world no one can Stop, you are a just Dust for our Religion.
Islam is a religion of ALLAH.No one can harm Islam.Bec Allah knows how to protect his religion.Dont take it seriously leave him (Poor Guy).Allah is the great planer than the so called ordinary people.For them this world is All.But for us Life begins AFTER DEATH.So you people enjoy here we Muslim will enjoy Later.(In sha allah)
He wants to capture the attention of Mr,Modi by giving such statements where Modi likes such statements and will they will get the Minister post in his Cabinet.Like Anupam Kher got Nation Award for speaking against Amir Khan.
WHAT HE KNOW ABOUT ISLAM , USELESS GUY HE IS ..
I THK THIS TIME HE NEED TICKET UN ELECTION SO HE BARKING LIKE DOG
IF SOMEINE TALK AGAINST THE ISLAM OFFCOURCE BJP WIL GIVE TICKET ,
Y MEDIA HE HIGHLIGHTED THIS USELESS GUY NEWS..
Intolerence.....
He thought he became hero, barking like dog.
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