Backing by SC/STs, minorities for Congress broke BJP's back in central Karnataka

In a major setback for BJP in the Central Karnataka region comprising Shivamogga, Davangere, Chitradurga and Chikkamagaluru districts, the party, which had won 21 seats out of 25 in the 2018 polls, managed to win only five seats this time. Congress made a strong comeback and won 19 seats. JD(S) won one seat.

The major reasons for the saffron party’s defeat include the anti-incumbency wave, combined with Congress’ ‘five guarantees’.

The defeat of BJP national general secretary C T Ravi, G H Thippareddy and MLA M P Renukacharya seems to have come as a surprise for the party.

Speaking to DH, political analyst A Shanmukha says Congress’ manifesto influenced voters effectively.

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“Voters belonging to SCs, STs and minorities backed Congress. Though BJP hiked reservations, there was no clarity about it, making it a mere political gimmick,” says Shanmukha.

“People voted on the basis of issues and development, and not on the basis of Hindutva,” he adds.

Of the seven seats in Shivamogga district, which was once regarded a strong fort of BJP, the party has lost four seats.

While Congress improved its tally from the last election’s one to three, JD(S) managed to win Shivamogga Rural.

Though BJP nominee B Y Vijayendra, the younger son of former chief minister B S Yediyurappa, began his electoral politics on a victorious note, it has not been an easy path for him.

S P Nagaraj Gouda, who faced the polls as an independent candidate after he was denied a ticket from the Congress, put up a good fight. BJP bagged 81,810 votes, Gouda managed to get 70,802 votes and Goni Malatesh of Congress was able to get only 8,101 votes.

The anti-Kumar Bangarappa faction within BJP was the major reason for the party’s defeat against Congress nominee Madhu Bangarappa in Sorab.

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BJP candidate H Halappa’s unpopularity among voters and the pro-Belur Gopalakrishna wave helped Congress to emerge victorious in Sagar.

In a big surprise, the collective efforts of Congress nominee and former minister Kimmane Rathnakar and Congress leader R M Manjunath Gowda could not defeat BJP nominee Araga Jnanendra in Thirthahalli. The incumbent MLA and Congress nominee B K Sangameshwara retained Bhadravathi in a closely fought election against Sharada Appaji of JD(S),
wife of former MLA, the late M J Appaji Gowda. JD(S) nominee Sharada Poorya Naik won Shivamogga Rural against BJP’s sitting MLA K B Ashok Naik.

Surprise losses

In Davangere district, of the seven seats, Congress won six — Davangere South, Davangere North, Honnali, Channagiri, Mayakonda and Jagalur. In Harihar, BJP’s B P Harish managed to wrest the seat from Congress.

The Congress restored its lost glory by winning five seats out of six in Chitradurga district. The incumbent MLA from Holalkere, M Chandrappa, was the lone BJP winner in the district, defeating former minister H Anjaneya of Congress.

The BJP had believed that Thippareddy would retain Chitradurga. But corruption charges and anti-incumbency proved a hurdle for his victory. Surprisingly, former BJP leader Gopalakrishna embraced Congress ahead of Assembly polls and emerged victorious against S Thippeswamy in Molakalmuru.

In Chikkamagaluru district, BJP was routed, with Congress winning all five seats. The defeat of BJP national secretary C T Ravi at the hands of Congress’ H D Thammaiah, once his close aide, is a big surprise for the party. Ravi’s offensive remarks against Congress leader Siddaramaiah and JD(S) leader H D Deve Gowda, besides his irregular visits to the constituency, are reasons for his loss.