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
That police establishments even in non BJP ruled states work hand in glove with the anti- people fascist RSS is a sad commentary of how our constitutional system is time and again challenged with impunity. Except for few courageous officers who work with conviction the police system as such is corrupted with persuasion of a virulent 'Indian Ideology' as much as the political system is.
That RSS and the police establishments often work hand in glove with each other even in many states ruled by non BJP 'secular' dispensations is a sad commentary on the virulence of the so called nationalism and patriotism propelled by an ' Indian Ideology '
Naushad, CONG not only supporting and BUT hiding in chaddis.....Hijdas
Whoever does this whether he's Muslim,Hindu, Christian or from any other community or religion if try to disturb peace and try to hurt somebodies sentiment to be punished maximum.
Actually the Police authority are the only authority can make peace, keep peace, if they want.
Please Respect each other, their reliogion, their community Etc.
LIV ,LET THEM LIV and ALLOW EVERYBODY TO LIV PEACEFUL LIFE.
Hahaha. That fellow became PM by throwing beef at temple and goes to pakistan for having tea
As Sanaulla said we are peace loving people we are business camunity. What ms Reviti has stated is true inquiry must be done by C B I this is not a first time that miscreant thoren meet at warshp plases Her aligation is true our Acp mr Anup Kumar is bussy in catching cattle traders along with Bajrangdal insteade of catching miscreant isn't it stupidity?
As Sanaulla said we are peace loving people we are business camunity. What ms Reviti has stated is true inquiry must be done by C B I this is not a first time that miscreant thoren meet at warshp plases Her aligation is true our Acp mr Anup Kumar is bussy in catching cattle traders along with Bajrangdal insteade of catching miscreant isn't it stupidity?
What a pity. Long ago a senior Ayodhya seer had called BJP as biggest enemy of Hindus. It's 100 percent true.
What's Congress doing? Supporting cheddis?
VIREN now you need her to provide mental treatment ? first you go through it ....
YOU FOLLOWED HITLER IDEAS...AND SURELY you will follow his END
In Bhatkal Mislims are always sufferer
Muslims are highest paying taxes to the Government
Muslims they stands for economy of Bhatkal. Price rise is higher than
The whole district, even though Bhatkal is peace. Nawayath community in Bhatkal r peace loving people. Hindu girls r working In their house. Muslims employ Hindu girls in their shops. Means we have no difference of opinion at all.
Some miscreants including who Mrs. Revati named in her allegation
Mr. Sunil Nayak just he joined BJP some months ago was a member of a Muslim Sports Centre called Royal Sports Centre and he himself
Mixed with Muslim people during marriage ceremony, sports, Travel
And many other occassion. Now a days he make distanced himself from Muslim friends. Even I wish to tell you he was frequently having beef
In Muslims wedding occasions
Shocking allegation against sangha parivar it is very cheap to blame someone for her sin.
serious inquiry must be done on her complaint if that proved correct, each and every criminals should be given maximum punishment.
we know her behavior.. very harsh in our town,
Revati in need of mental treatment. first she got suspended by assuming she will lose her job for her fault.. she herself resigned before.
Revati slap on, this is wrong to blame someone for your mistake.
her hafta may be pending, until now eaten lancha and lived a wonderful life, now money got over started to blackmail others.
revati.. statement is totally wrong, she just wanted to turn off her case into opposite. corrupt officers like u.. we dont need anymore., go to hell.
Police officers like Ms Revati should shoot those criminals infront of everyone even if he is politician or some group head.
really shocking!!!! from today i will stop joining any group.
this must be stopped.. local people should not support the protest of some group.
whoever involved in this heinous act will die dog's death one day.
yahh exactly right thats why i m not very much bothered about the communal violence. its all pre planned. everyone should do their work and keep quiet from fighting nobody will gain anything instead they will lose.
this complaint should be taken as a general awareness, in my opinion some set of 5 to 10 people want to disturb the peace of the society and some gains, why others are responding to their crime. we all brothers and sisters should live in peace,
She is right in accusing her sanghi seniors .... I was the only person on this forum highlighting this drama of meat placing to stir up social unrest .... Bjp goons hats off to you and Pramod Muthalik for creating social disturbances
naren and viren need some treatment for their mental condition.... i can offer both a better treatment.
viren, bhatkal bjp gooons did this in past also. This time police wanted to frame 1 innocent boy also. psi has taken sunil naik bjp leader name who has given money to 1 person name uday goonda to buy cow meat to throw in dewastan.
I wonder fools like #1 still exists in Karnataka... Want to give merit to the evil doers even if they are exposed of their evil. Only devils are happy when some one is harmed... and dont be a devils agent by supporting the Evil..(throwing beef and blaming others)
More deceptions will spill out in near future in Shaa Allah.
Viren u r one of the educated illiterate person on this planet....if the same allegation she put on muslim community then she is a very good police, otherwise, she is mental.....the whole India knows who are the main culprits are except some communal people like u....
Ms Revathi is 100% correct, hats off brave police officer Revathi
Viren!! Who need treatment for them this statement is funny. This is not the first time. Whenever One particular community is involved in any illegal thongs and get caught, then he is mental. Naren antinationalist need itch guard.
The true face of saffron forces unveiled again. Pity on them. Such people dont hesitate to destroy their own family for political gains.
Lol. funny allegations. I think she needs some treatment for her mental condition.
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