Stage set for bypolls to two constituencies in Karnataka
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After two weeks of no-holds-barred campaigning, all eyes are actually on the byelection on Tuesday to Sira and Rajarajeshwarinagar Assembly constituencies in Karnataka. It is a possible launch pad for 4 candidates of three main events making their electoral debut.
As far because the events go, it will be significant for the ruling BJP regardless that it enjoys a snug majority in the Assembly. The election taking place amid the pandemic might be a take a look at of Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa’s recognition as he’s dealing with criticism on many fronts over his dealing with of the COVID-19 disaster and the State’s financial system.
Meanwhile, it’s essential for the Congress and the JD(S) to retain their maintain in the constituencies that they had received in 2018. It can be vital for them in phrases of a notion change in the approaching elections to the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike in addition to the gram panchayats, although the latter might be held on non-party traces.
The ballot end result would additionally set the tone for the upcoming byelections to Belagavi Lok Sabha seat and Basavakalyan and Maski Assembly seats.
Former allies — Congress and JD(S) — have gone their separate methods in Sira and R.R. Nagar, eyeing votes in the largely Vokkaliga-dominated constituencies and accusing one another on a number of points.
This byelection is the primary main take a look at for Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee president D.K. Shivakumar, who’s main the social gathering for the primary time in polls since taking up the State unit. Victory in each segments would assist him set up his authority in a celebration, which is in any other case seen as faction-ridden. This can be the primary election to Randeep Surjewala, who has been appointed All-India Congress Committee normal secretary in cost of Karnataka.
As many leaders have abandoned the JD(S) in the previous couple of years, the bypolls will give a sign of the social gathering’s power in Sira and R.R. Nagar. With each its candidates making their electoral debut, the social gathering is relying closely on its conventional voters to win the elections.
Prestige battle
Largely seen as a triangular battle, the byelection in Sira might be a battle of status for all three main events. The JD(S) marketing campaign was powered by former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda, who managed to encourage the social gathering cadre. Former Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy led the marketing campaign in R.R. Nagar.
The JD(S) has fielded Ammajamma, spouse of the late MLA B. Sathyanarayana, in Sira. In 2018, Sathyanarayana defeated T.B. Jayachandra (Congress) by a margin of over 10,000 votes. Mr. Jayachandra and political novice Rajesh Gowda (BJP) are the two different main candidates in the fray this time.
The Chief Minister’s son and State BJP vice-president, B.Y. Vijayendra, camped in Sira after the announcement of polls and even took a pledge to repeat the K.R. Pet bypoll outcomes for the BJP. For Mr. Jayachandra, victory would guarantee not solely his stature in the social gathering, but additionally his entry to the Assembly for the seventh time.
Congress vs BJP
The R.R. Nagar constituency is seen as a straight contest between the Congress and the BJP. The “D.K. brothers”, notably Mr. Shivakumar, have led the marketing campaign from the entrance and requested voters to defeat the BJP candidate, two-time MLA Munirathna, who “betrayed his mother” (as he had as soon as described the Congress) and compelled the byelections. Electoral brisker H. Kusuma, of the Congress, is banking on ladies and younger voters. The proportion of voting by ladies is probably going to be an vital issue right here.
Apparently, Mr. Munirathna getting ticket to contest has not gone down nicely among the many local-level former BBMP councillors and social gathering employees of the BJP, in opposition to whom he had allegedly filed circumstances earlier. V. Krishnamurthy of the JD(S), contesting for the primary time, is probably going to break up the Vokkaliga votes, contemplating each he and Ms. Kusuma are from the group.
In all, there are 15 and 16 candidates in the fray in Sira and R.R. Nagar, respectively.
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