By M.K. Ashoka
Bengaluru, Apr 23 (IANS): The series of communal incidents that took place in Karnataka's Shivamogga brought this assembly constituency to the national limelight and the contest and developments there are being keenly watched now.
The denial of the ticket for the Shivamogga seat to former minister K.S. Eshwarappa by the BJP and fielding an ordinary party worker from there has also made big news ahead of the May 10 Assembly elections in the state.
On the other hand, Congress has given the ticket to a young leader hailing from a freedom fighter's family sidelining seniors. While the BJP is going to elections with Hindutva agenda, the Congress is seeking votes for a peaceful Shivamogga.
The disturbing incident of the brutal murder of Bajrang Dal activist Harsha in Shivamogga last year led to a tense atmosphere and the city was under curfew for more than eight days.
Even after normalcy was restored, stabbing incidents followed. Hindu activists were again stabbed after a row over the installation of flexes of Veer Savarkar during the celebration of 75 years of India's Independence last year.
Shivamogga constituency comprises the areas coming under the jurisdiction of Shivamogga City Corporation. The assembly segment has 2,56,373 voters, which comprise 62,000 Muslim voters, SC/ST (50,000), Lingayats (40,000), Brahmins (30,000), Kuruba (20,000) and Vokkaligas have 15,000 votes.
The seat is presently represented by BJP leader and former minister Eshwarappa. The party has fielded S.N. Channabasappa, presently a city corporation member as its candidate. Eshwarappa has announced his retirement from electoral politics.
Channabasappa will face Ayanur Manjunath, a former BJP leader who joined JD(S) after being denied the ticket. Congress has allocated the ticket to young leader H.C. Yogesh while AAP has fielded T. Nethravathi from the Shivamogga seat.
Though it appears to be a straight fight between Manjunath and Channabasappa, the Congress candidate might throw a surprise, according to locals.
BJP registered victory in the constituency in 1983. Eshwarappa emerged victorious in 1989 by defeating political heavyweight K.H. Srinivas of Congress. He won in 1994, 2004, 2008 and 2018.
BJP senior leader Captain Ganesh Karnik explained to IANS that Shivamogga witnessed communal violence incidents during Ganesh festivals after a long time. "The jihadi mindset of not respecting the law and turning India into an Islamic state is found among groups of people. The number of Muslim voters in Shivamogga constituency has crossed 62,000," he said.
"The BJP candidate Channabasappa is a committed party worker for four decades. His entire family is dedicated to the party and the ideology. The nationalism ideology is not against Muslims, it is all about appeasement of none," Karnik asserted.
When asked about Manjunath who quit the BJP, Karnik said: "He (Manjunath) enjoyed all perks from the party as MLA, MP and MLC. The party has taken its time as there were too many aspirants and BJP had fielded the candidate after studying the strategy of Congress party."
Congress candidate Yogesh stressed that he would strive for a peaceful Shivamogga and corruption-free administration.
It will be interesting to see who gets a major chunk of Muslim votes - JD(S) or Congress - in the Assembly elections. If the votes of Muslim split between the Congress and the JD(S), the BJP's victory will become easy. Locals say that it is a close contest and there will be a triangular fight between JD(S), Congress and the BJP.