Political Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network

Bangalore, Apr 10 :  Karnataka’s 4.6 crore voters will go to the polls in the 5th phase of elections to be held on 17th April 2014.   With 28 Lok Sabha seats up for grabs Karnataka’s electoral result are said to have a crucial impact on the national electoral scenario.   In the 2009 elections the BJP had won 19 seats, Congress 6 and JD (S) 3.     With the BJP receiving a drubbing in the hands of the Congress in the 2013 assembly elections the electoral panorama in the state has changed drastically in the last five years and that is what is going to keep the major players on tenterhook not knowing how the electorate would behave in these elections for the Lok Sabha. 
 
There are total 434 candidates in the fray in the state including 21 women.  There are also 195 independent candidates in the fray.   Of the 28 seats five seats are for Scheduled Castes and two are reserved for the Scheduled Tribes. The Election Commission has set up 18627 polling stations all over the state.   New voters in the age group of 18 to 29 forms about 25 per cent of the total voters and their preference is going to play a major role in changing the fortunes of many candidates in the fray. 

Starting from today Daijiworld.com will cover all the 28 constituencies of the state to give our readers an overall picture of the electoral trend in the state. The constituencies will be covered from north to south   and every day we plan to cover 3 constituencies. 

Chikkodi

Assembly segments – 8
Total number of electorate - as per 2009 Election Commission report are 12, 84, 427. 
Sitting MP - Ramesh Katti  (BJP)

The parliamentary constituency of Chikkodi consists of 8 assembly segments and in 2013 assembly BJP had won five, Congress two and BSR Congress one.  Though there are 12 candidates in the fray including five independents there appears to be a straight fight between Congress candidate Prakash Hukkeri, Sugar Minister in Siddaramaigh’s cabinet and sitting MP Ramesh   Katti of BJP.   Both belong to the dominant Lingayat community and will vie for the 3.82 strong Lingayat votes.  So far Lingayat leaders have not openly expressed their support to either candidate.  In 2009 elections the same candidates from rival parties had faced each other with Ramesh Katti defeating hukkeri by a margin of 55,287 votes.

Ramesh Katti (BJP), Prakash Hukkeri (Cong)

It is said that Hukkeri who represent the Chikkodi-Sadalga seat in the assembly was a reluctant candidate to fight the Lok Sabha constituency because he is more inclined to retain his place in the state cabinet rather than go to Parliament.

There is a strong rumour that Congress legislator from Chikkodi and the present Exercise and district-in-charge minister Satish Jarkiholi wants to strengthen his support base in Chikkodi.  The move to push Hukkeri to fight Loksabha elections is said to be Jarkiholi’s game plan to neutralize Hukkeri from the district political scene.  The constituency has a significant number of Muslim, Maratha and SC votes and their voting preference might decide the winner.   The presence of AAP candidate Ashfaq Ahmed Madaki and JD (S) candidate Srimant Patil will influence the Muslim and Maratha voters respectively.  The number of votes they poll might tilt the balance in favour of either BJP or Congress.  

While there is resentment against sitting BJP MP Ramesh Katti it is widely believed that the Modi wave might give him an edge over his closest rival.

Belgaum

Assembly segments – 8
Total number of electorate is 13,78,238.
Sitting MP Suresh Channabasappa Angadi  of BJP

Once again it is going to be a straight fight between the BJP and the Congress in Belgaum which has 15 candidates in the fray with JD (S) too trying hard to show its strength.  Sitting BJP MP Suresh Angadi  had defeated Amarsinh Vasantarao patil of the Congress in 2009   by a margin of over 12,000 votes.  This year he is facing a tough facing a tough challenge from Congress candidate Smt Lakshmi Hebbalkar.

Suresh Angadi (BJP), Lakshmi Hebbalkar (Cong)

About 4 lakh Marathi voters play a crucial role in deciding the winning candidate.  In the last two Lok Sabha elections Marathis had voted for the BJP   paving the way for its victory.  Though language and border is a major issue  here, all political parties keep tight-lipped despite leaders of Maharashtra Ekikaran Samithi (MES) spewing venom against Karnataka Government.   Though the anti-Karnataka activities of Marathi speaking people is well known all political parties are ignoring it in their desperation to win their votes.  

Belgaum once known as the bastion of Congress is making concerted efforts to regain the constituency after it lost the same to BJP in two consecutive elections in 2004 and 2009.  Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi kicked off his political campaign for these elections from Belgaum which clearly indicates the importance given to this constituency by the party.  The strong presence of MES and Shiva Sena is also the reason for the special attention given to Belgaum by Congress.  It was earlier believed that MES would field its candidate which would have spelt doom for the BJP.  

The constituency has influential JD (S) leaders also who are making all out efforts to woo Marathi voters in the border district and it has fielded Bagwan Nasir Papulsab.   AAP is also making its presence by fielding Muttappa C Angadi.  Though Maratha votes are going to be the deciding factor   the constituency is going to witness a key contest and hopefully with a surprising outcome. 

Bagalkot

Assembly segments 8
Total number of electorate 13, 63,359
Sitting MP P C Gaddigoudar of BJP

Bagalkot is another constituency where Lingayat votes are going to play an important role and re-entry of Lingayat strongman B S Yeddyurappa into BJP fold is believed to  tilt the balance in favour of the BJP.   Bagalkot was also a strong Congress bastion until P C Gaddigoundar of BJP wrested the seat from R S Patil of the Congress in 2004 and 2009.  Though now Bagalkot is hyped to be a BJP fortress now, the party received a severe drubbing in 2013 assembly elections where the Congress won 7 out of the eight seats.

Gaddigoudar (BJP), Ajaykumar Sarnaik (Cong)

Bagalkot constituency comprises Mudhol, Terdal, Jamkhandi, Bilgi, Badami, Bagalkot, Hungund and Nargund assembly segments.   BJP managed to win the only seat from Mudhol in 2013.   There are 16 candidates in the fray including JD (S), JD (U) and AAP candidates.  Former tough cop  DG & IGP Shankar Bidari is contesting from here as an independent candidate .

The BJP has once again chosen its sitting MP P C Gaddigoundar was the only strong contender for the party’s ticket who is also kown for his clean image.   For Gaddigoundar it is going to be a hat trick if he manages to win, which may not be difficult considering the palpable Modi wave in the constituency and the untainted image of Gaddigoundar.

Gaddigoundar is facing Congress candidate Ajaykumar Sarnaik  who belongs to the Reddy community, which is  the other  dominant  caste in the region.    Ajaykumar Sarnaik has made a comeback to the Congress from JD (U).   So Bagalkot is touted as a tough toss between Lingayats and Reddys  and therefore it is  going to be a straight fight between the BJP and Congress as the candidates depend  mainly on the ‘caste’ factor to romp home to victory.    There are rumours doing the rounds that even some Congress leaders are clandestinely supporting the BJP candidate due to the caste factor.   These rumours give credence to the fact that when it comes to ‘caste’ nothing else matters.    

Being the ruling party it is believed that Congress has the advantage and the fact that two incumbent ministers Umashree and S R  Patil belong to this district.   The Congress may want to repeat the 2013 success.  Will it succeed?