Hubballi: The results of the byelections in the six assembly constituencies in BJP’s bastion of Mumbai-Karnataka could play a prominent role in deciding the fate of the Yediyurappa in the state.
While the state BJP rigorously campaigned in the region, prominent Congress leaders like Mallikarjun Kharge, G Parameshwar and D K Shivakumar were conspicuous by their absence during the campaigning in the three assembly constituencies of Belagavi district going to the polls.
All eyes are on the byelections in the district as they will test the political clout of the Jarkiholi brothers, Deputy Chief Minister, Laxman Savadi, and Raju Kage in Gokak, Athani and Kagwad respectively.
While the national political parties played the caste card to keep their Lingayat and Kuruba votebanks intact in the district, JD(S) supremo, H D Deve Gowda and former Chief Minister, H D Kumaraswamy ,who plunged into the campaign at the last moment, targeted their disqualified legislators rather than the Congress candidates with a strategy to divide the BJP votebank, according to sources.
The BJP has its hopes up in Gokak, Athani, Yallapur and Hirekerur as the Chief Minister has managed to quell the rebellion in these constituencies. But the Congress is confident of victory in Ranibennur and Kagwad, where it has fielded the highly influential K B Koliwad and Mr Raju Kage respectively.
