Behind PM’s Karnataka Roadshow, BJP’s Dogged Struggle For Stronghold Belagavi

BJP is banking on PM Modi’s enchantment after BS Yeddyurappa introduced electoral retirement

Bengaluru:

The BJP’s Karnataka unit has deliberate a giant present of power throughout Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s go to to Shivamogga and Belagavi at this time. The Prime Minister’s itinerary contains the launch of Shivamogga airport and a 10-km roadshow in Belagavi – a part of an elaborate outreach plan forward of the state polls due later this yr.

Why Belagavi Is Essential

The Belagavi district in Kittur-Karnataka area has 18 Meeting segments and has historically been a BJP stronghold. Its significance within the get together’s ballot plan has been compounded because the BJP seems to be on a backfoot this time as a result of corruption fees and murmurs of riot from some MLAs who had switched to the BJP from Janata Dal (Secular) and the Congress.

After its stronghold Bengaluru, it’s Belagavi that may decide ballot outcomes for the BJP. The area accounts for the best inhabitants of Lingayats — an influential group that constitutes 17 per cent of Karnataka’s inhabitants.

Through the 2018 elections, the BJP received 13 out of the 18 seats in Belagavi. In Kittur-Karnataka area, earlier generally known as Mumbai-Karnataka, the BJP received almost 30 seats out of the full 50 – almost 30 per cent of the BJP’s complete tally of 104.

What’s Totally different This Time

The Prime Minister’s roadshow and frequent visits by prime BJP leaders, together with Dwelling Minister Amit Shah, spark curiosity on why the get together has doubled its give attention to a area that could be a BJP bastion anyway.

A key purpose is a management vacuum. Former chief minister BS Yediyurappa, the tallest Lingayat chief within the state, just lately introduced retirement from electoral politics. The BJP additionally confronted setbacks after two key leaders — former minister Umesh Katti and Deputy Speaker of Meeting Anand Mamani died final yr. Previous to that, BJP’s Ramesh Jarkiholi was pressured to resign as minister amid the 2021 intercourse for job scandal.

The BJP misplaced its key Lingayat chief Suresh Angadi, a former Belagavi MP and Union Railway Minister, as a result of Covid in 2020. Sanjay Patil, chief of BJP’s Belagavi unit, concedes that there’s a management void. Chatting with NDTV, Mr Patil stated that they’re closely counting on central leaders this time as there’s “no native Lingayat face”.

What’s the BJP Plan

With a Lingayat heavyweight lacking, the BJP has fallen again on its largest power — the enchantment of Prime Minister Modi. Mr Patil says that regardless of the void, he was assured that the BJP will win 15 out of 18 seats within the district, bettering final time’s present. The tussle throughout the Congress, between factions led by Siddaramaiah and D Ok Shivakumar, may even profit the BJP, he stated.

The central BJP management are specializing in Kittur-Karnataka — the districts of Uttara Kannada, Belagavi, Dharwad, Vijayapura, Bagalkote, Gadag and Haveri — south Karnataka and Hyderabad Karnataka areas because it goes all out in its try and return to energy in its southern stronghold.