Bengaluru: The Congress and BJP will lock horns on the electoral battleground again, in less than a year, in Karnataka as the stage is set for voting in the first phase in 14 Lok Sabha seats on Friday.
It's going to be a straight fight between the ruling Congress and the BJP-JD(S) combine unlike the Assembly elections in May last year which witnessed a triangular contest among the three parties.
The state has a total of 28 Lok Sabha constituencies. The second phase of polling in the remaining 14 seats is on May seven.
A total of 247 candidates -- 226 men and 21 women -- are in the fray for the first phase in most of the southern and coastal districts.
More than 2.88 crore voters are eligible to exercise their franchise in 30,602 polling stations where polling will take place between 7 am to 6 pm.
While the Congress is contesting in all 14 seats, BJP has fielded nominees in 11 and its alliance partner JD(S), which joined the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in three -- Hassan, Mandya and Kolar.
Besides the three, the segments where elections will be held on Friday are: Udupi-Chikmagalur, Dakshina Kannada, Chitradurga, Tumkur, Mysore, Chamarajanagar, Bangalore Rural, Bangalore North, Bangalore Central, Bangalore South and Chikkballapur.
In the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, Congress and JD(S), which were in alliance and ruling the state then, had secured just one seat each in these 14 segments. The BJP had won in 11 and ensured the victory of a party supported independent candidate in Mandya.
Having scored a thumping victory in the Assembly elections, 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 had held power in the past. 'Its alliance partner JD(S) is fighting to remain politically relevant, after the Assembly poll drubbing,' a political analyst said.
The Old Mysore region is the Vokkaliga heartland and parts of it have been the traditional bastion of the JDS. However, the current elections are a battle for survival for JDS.
According to Karnataka Chief Electoral Officer Manoj Kumar Meena, 1.4 lakh polling officials will be on duty for the first phase.
Besides them, 5,000 micro-observers, 50,000 civil police personnel, 65 companies of Central Parliamentary Force and State Armed Police force of other States will also be deployed for security.
All the 2,829 polling stations of Bangalore Rural parliamentary constituency will be webcast, Meena said.
'This is as per the request of our returning officers and observers; so we have given more than double the Central parliamentary force for Bangalore Rural constituency. Seven companies of Central paramilitary forces have been inducted at the constituency since April 22,' he told reporters on Wednesday.
In fact, out of the total 30,602 polling stations in the first phase, 19,701 will be webcast, and 1,370 covered via CCTVs, he said.
Chikkaballapur has a maximum number of 29 candidates, followed by 24 in Bangalore Central, and Dakshina Kannada has the least number - nine.
JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy from Mandya, his brother-in-law and noted cardiologist C N Manjunath from Bangalore Rural on a BJP ticket, erstwhile Mysuru royal family scion Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar from Mysore, also from the BJP, and Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar's brother and MP D K Suresh of Congress from Bangalore Rural, are among the prominent candidates in the fray in the first phase.
Also in the fray are BJP MP Tejasvi Surya from Bangalore South against Minister Ramalinga Reddy's daughter Sowmya Reddy of Congress, Union Minister Shobha Karandlaje on BJP ticket from Bangalore North against former IIM Bangalore professor M V Rajeev Gowda of Congress.
The Congress' performance in the elections, especially in the first phase which covers almost all Vokkaliga-dominated districts, is being seen as a big test of sorts for its state unit chief 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.
Stakes are also high for Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, as victory in particular in his home turf—Mysore and Chamarajanagar—is seen as key for strengthening hands, analysts say.
For the JD(S) and its state chief Kumaraswamy, the task is cut out -- to prove that the regional party is still a force to reckon with, particularly in the Vokkaliga dominated Old Mysuru or South Karnataka region.
Both Shivakumar and Kumaraswamy are Vokkaligas, and are engaged in a fierce turf war to consolidate their clout over the dominant community.
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 elections.
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 for the post, overlooking seniors and seasoned hands.
The ruling Congress is mostly banking on the implementation of its populist five guarantee schemes. The BJP and JD(S) seem to be leveraging the 'Modi factor' to the hilt.
Comments
Change attitude....don't blame your chaddi.....by the way from now on private parts will not be visible when they sit.....thank god
Along with the dress, change the mentality
Anyone noticed the pic? 2 persons holding one chaddi~pant. see their hands. LOL
Uniform of the Terrorists, Deshdrohis and Gaddars
Inspired by super tiger cadres of patriotic P.O.P.U.L.A.R. F.R.O.N.T O.F I.N.D.I.A (PFI)
Hey RSS you will never be able to over come an INDIAN PATRIOTIC ORGANIZATION WHICH HAS FULL STRENGTH TO COUNTER YOU
chaddi nahi soch badlo swayamsevakon soch badlo.
CHADDI NAHI SOCH BADLO....
Thank God for changing that JAMBULI CHADDI. Feel awkward to see people with that half chaddi. BUt the label will remain the same Chaddis. Its very easy to call.
Beggars, labor-class and low grade RSS members will wear pants..? will it not look odd for them, they are only fit to wear chaddi beyond that they cannot
Discount Sale buy one get one free??? Master Narean Bai could you check any market in your Snake Land? at least give your Criminal Lotters goons get some jobs. Good luck Narean, be happy Nowadays no good progress of your team. next change better Introduce Toub or Burakini in white colour is good for your goons.
Jai Hind
Jia Hoo Modianna.
Wear Khaki it is easy to join with police force, already 60% police force is RSS it will became 100% and enjoy the life with full of Goondagardi
This is not good for chaddies....they will lose their identity......
Govt should set up a special team to check these trousers before they reach the individuals. These days RSS are workers widely involving in anti-social and terror activities. They may hide something inside these trousers.
Good we are spared of the sickening sight of seeing men like Gadkari in their chaddis, hope the government will also take a lesson in changing the uniforms of our lady cops and hospital nurses, a simple change of not tucking their shirts in is all that is needed
Will this change of attire (borrowed from the British Home Guards) change the anti-democratic-secular ideology of RSS too? It hates everything which symbolizes an all-inclusive India. Take the example of our National Flag; Tricolour. The RSS English mouthpiece ORGANIZER demeaning the choice of the National Flag just on the eve of Independence ((14 August 1947)) wrote: \The people who have come to power by the kick of fate may give in our hands the Tricolour but it never be respected and owned by Hindus. The word three is in itself an evil, and a flag having three colours will certainly produce a very bad psychological effect and is injurious to a country.\" When will RSS learn to respect a democratic-secular India?"
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