Karnataka: Development' alien to Deodurga politicos

DEODURGA: It’s ironical that though most of those who have been elected from Deodurga reserved Assembly constiutency have occupied important positions in the state government, the constituency has never seen the desired kind of development.

The only exception is the present BJP candidate for the by-poll, Mr Shivangouda Naik, who during his previous tenure as Minister in BJP government, brought some improvements in the constiutency.

According to the Nanjundappa report, Deodurga is categorized as a most backward taluk.  Though completion of the Narayanapur Right Bank Canal has brought some changes in the lives of people, who are mainly dependent upon agriculture, the taluk has to go a long way in areas like education, health, literacy, roads, per capita income etc.

Along with neighbouring  Shahapur, Yadgir and Surpur taluks, Deodurga tops the list in term of migration of farm labourers to metropolitan cities in search of work.

One of the reasons for the backwardness could be the entry of outsider politicians. Late B. Shivanna, who hailed from Kalaburagi district, was Minister in Congress governments three times after he got elected from Deodurga. Dr Pushpalatha and B.T. Lalitha Naik who got elected from the constituency, were ministers.

Mr Hanumanthappa Alkod,  got elected on a JD(S) ticket in 2004 even though he was a resident of Dharwad. Even the previous legislator, late Venkatesh Naik was alien to development politics.

People say though Venkatesh Naik was a four-time MP, they do not recall even a single contribution he made to the development of Raichur or Deodurga. 

It was only during the tenure of Mr Shivangouda Naik as Minister from 2008 to 2013 that the constituency saw some  development. 

But Mr Naik, because of his allegedly vindictive attitude towards the dominant Lingayat community and his inability to connect with the bureaucracy, lost whatever goodwill he earned from his works.

The two main contenders in the by-poll, Shivanagouda Nayak of BJP and Rajashekhar Naik of Congress – not only hail from Arakera in Deodurga taluk but are also related to each other.

It’s the Naiks (Bedas) who are the dominant community in the constituency. But the Lingayats, who are next only to the Naiks in strength, wield a lot of political clout and can tilt the scales.