Karnataka Congress gears up for battle in BJP bastion

Haveri: The Congress camp in Haveri district is buzzing with activity as preparations begin for the upcoming by-election in the Shiggaon Assembly Constituency. The party is chalking out plans to defeat the BJP and make a comeback after three decades.

This assembly seat, along with three others in Karnataka, became vacant after their representatives were elected to the Parliament. Though, the election date is yet to be declared, as per procedure it has to be conducted within six months.

The Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) has formed committees to oversee the by-elections, with forest and ecology minister Eshwar Khandre leading the team for Shiggaon. This team is actively engaging with local leaders and workers to identify a strong candidate who can challenge the BJP effectively.

Shiggaon has garnered particular attention due to its history of being represented by former Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai for four consecutive terms since 2008. A victory in this constituency would bolster Congress's confidence and demonstrate its might against the BJP.

While Shiggaon has been a BJP stronghold for over a decade, the recent parliamentary elections have injected new hope into the Congress camp. Bommai secured victory in the 2023 assembly election with a significant margin of 35,978 votes. However, during the recently held parliamentary elections, the BJP candidate of Dharwad Pralhad Joshi (Shiggaon is part of the Dharwad Parliament constituency) received 8,598 votes less compared to Congress candidate Vinod Asooti in the Shiggaon assembly segment. Despite Joshi's overall victory, this unexpected swing in Shiggaon has alarmed BJP leaders and invigorated Congress supporters.

Historically, Shiggaon has seen varied representation, including Congress, JD(S), and independent candidates. The constituency turned into a BJP bastion only after Bommai joined the party and contested in 2008.

A Congress leader remarked, "This time there are many reasons to indicate that Congress has good chances of victory. We have seen Congress getting more votes in the assembly segment in the recent parliament election. Also, there is a Congress government in the state. With Bommai not contesting this by-election, there is speculation that a new BJP candidate may struggle to garner the same level of support."

A significant point of contention within the Congress is the selection of the candidate.

Minority community leaders are advocating for one of their own. Yasir Ahmed Khan Pathan, who lost to Bommai in 2023, and Syed Azeempeer Khadri Syed Kadar Basha, a three-time challenger to Bommai (in 2008, 2013 and 2018) are the main contenders. Basha had won the seat for Janata Dal in the 1999 election. Meanwhile, the name of former JD(S) leader CM Ibrahim’s son is also making rounds.

The debate extends to whether to continue fielding a minority candidate, a practice followed by the party for several terms. Some party members suggest fielding a non-minority candidate, with the promise of key positions within boards or corporations for minority leaders instead. Two prominent names in this discussion are Somanna Bevinamarada, chairman of the Karnataka Border Area Development Authority, and Sanjeev Kumar Neeralagi, president of the Haveri District Congress Committee.

The Congress party is likely to finalize the name and declare after considering all the angles. The leaders want to make a comeback in the constituency where they had won for the last time in 1994.