<p>The Hassan Assembly segment was in the news much before the election heat picked up, and this seat is poised for a high-stakes battle between the BJP and the JD(S), with the Congress smelling a chance to play spoilsport.</p>.<p>Banking on development works, incumbent BJP MLA Preetham J Gowda is confident of getting elected for a second term. He is up against H P Swaroop, who got the JD(S) ticket after much sparring inside party supremo H D Deve Gowda’s family. Swaroop’s father H S Prakash was a four-time MLA, whose clean image is a plus point for his son. </p>.<p><strong>Also Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/election/karnataka/jds-promises-to-restore-4-reservation-for-muslims-in-election-manifesto-1213567.html" target="_blank">JD(S) promises to restore 4% reservation for Muslims in election manifesto</a></strong><br /> </p>.<p>Hassan is not a traditional BJP base. Preetham’s win in 2018 was much celebrated as it was the BJP’s first win in this seat since 1999.</p>.<p>The constituency has 2.27 lakh voters, of whom 70,000 are Vokkaligas, 65,000 Muslims, 40,000 OBCs, 30,000 SCs and 10,000 Christians.</p>.<p>Both Preetham and Swaroop belong to the Dasa sub-sect of Vokkaligas. Deve Gowda is a Mullu Vokkaliga. Gowda’s sons H D Revanna and H D Kumaraswamy differed on the ticket. Revanna wanted the ticket for his wife Bhavani. However, Swaroop has an advantage as the entire Deve Gowda family is now backing him.</p>.<p>According to observers, Preetham’s comments about the Deve Gowda family and Muslims could prove costly. </p>.<p>Meanwhile, Congress candidate Banavasi Rangaswamy is also in the fray and his party is looking to divide Muslim votes, denting the JD(S) prospects. </p>.<p>Of the seven constituencies in Hassan district, JD(S) lost only one. This time, the BJP is hopeful of making the lotus bloom in a few segments such as Sakleshpur, where it is locked in a triangular fight with the JD(S) and the Congress. </p>.<p>In Arasikere, sitting JD(S) MLA K M Shivalinge Gowda has shifted to Congress. In exchange, the JD(S) managed to get BJP’s N R Santhosh, who did not get the saffron ticket. </p>.<p>Shravanabelagola is a JD(S) bastion and sitting MLA C N Balakrishna seems confident. Even Holenarasipura has been Revanna’s fief. But this time, he could be in for a fight against Congress’ Shreyas Patel, the grandson of G Puttaswamy Gowda, who once defeated Deve Gowda.</p>.<p>While former minister A Manju of the JD(S) has the edge in Arkalgud, Belur is a three-way fight between the BJP, the JD(S) and the Congress.</p>
<p>The Hassan Assembly segment was in the news much before the election heat picked up, and this seat is poised for a high-stakes battle between the BJP and the JD(S), with the Congress smelling a chance to play spoilsport.</p>.<p>Banking on development works, incumbent BJP MLA Preetham J Gowda is confident of getting elected for a second term. He is up against H P Swaroop, who got the JD(S) ticket after much sparring inside party supremo H D Deve Gowda’s family. Swaroop’s father H S Prakash was a four-time MLA, whose clean image is a plus point for his son. </p>.<p><strong>Also Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/election/karnataka/jds-promises-to-restore-4-reservation-for-muslims-in-election-manifesto-1213567.html" target="_blank">JD(S) promises to restore 4% reservation for Muslims in election manifesto</a></strong><br /> </p>.<p>Hassan is not a traditional BJP base. Preetham’s win in 2018 was much celebrated as it was the BJP’s first win in this seat since 1999.</p>.<p>The constituency has 2.27 lakh voters, of whom 70,000 are Vokkaligas, 65,000 Muslims, 40,000 OBCs, 30,000 SCs and 10,000 Christians.</p>.<p>Both Preetham and Swaroop belong to the Dasa sub-sect of Vokkaligas. Deve Gowda is a Mullu Vokkaliga. Gowda’s sons H D Revanna and H D Kumaraswamy differed on the ticket. Revanna wanted the ticket for his wife Bhavani. However, Swaroop has an advantage as the entire Deve Gowda family is now backing him.</p>.<p>According to observers, Preetham’s comments about the Deve Gowda family and Muslims could prove costly. </p>.<p>Meanwhile, Congress candidate Banavasi Rangaswamy is also in the fray and his party is looking to divide Muslim votes, denting the JD(S) prospects. </p>.<p>Of the seven constituencies in Hassan district, JD(S) lost only one. This time, the BJP is hopeful of making the lotus bloom in a few segments such as Sakleshpur, where it is locked in a triangular fight with the JD(S) and the Congress. </p>.<p>In Arasikere, sitting JD(S) MLA K M Shivalinge Gowda has shifted to Congress. In exchange, the JD(S) managed to get BJP’s N R Santhosh, who did not get the saffron ticket. </p>.<p>Shravanabelagola is a JD(S) bastion and sitting MLA C N Balakrishna seems confident. Even Holenarasipura has been Revanna’s fief. But this time, he could be in for a fight against Congress’ Shreyas Patel, the grandson of G Puttaswamy Gowda, who once defeated Deve Gowda.</p>.<p>While former minister A Manju of the JD(S) has the edge in Arkalgud, Belur is a three-way fight between the BJP, the JD(S) and the Congress.</p>
