Riding on Kharge factor, Congress looks to maintain hold on Kalyana Karnataka bastion

As parties focus on caste combinations, locals complain about lack of implementation of projects, flagging relocation of an IIT, scrapping of a railway division, and 'failures' of Kalyana Karnataka Development Board

Observers feel that though Mallikrajun Kharge will be a factor, the Congress could improve its tally if SC Left communities are adequately represented in the party ranks. (Express Photo by Tashi Tobgyal)

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Despite mixed fortunes in other parts of Karnataka, the Kalyana Karnataka region — earlier called Hyderabad Karnataka — has remained a Congress stronghold. The party is working on improving its tally there this time, and is hoping the election of veteran Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge — who hails from the region — as the AICC president will generate a “wave” to further boost its prospects.

Primarily an arid, backward region, Kalyana Karnataka comprises seven districts — up from six during the 2018 elections, after Vijayanagar district was formed in 2018. Analysis of results across 40 constituencies of the region shows the Congress has won more than 50 per cent of these in the last two elections, while the BJP has lost some ground it had gained in the 2008 polls. The prospects of the JD(S) have stagnated, and the regional party has been restricted to 4-5 constituencies over the last decade-and-a-half.

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The BJP had won 19 Kalyana Karnataka seats in 2008, which dropped to six in 2013. The party bounced back in 2018, winning 15 seats. The Congress, too, improved from 15 in 2008 to 23 in 2013, though its tally fell to 21 in 2018.

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Observers feel that though Mallikrajun Kharge will be a factor, the Congress could improve its tally if SC Left communities are adequately represented in the party ranks. The region has a diverse population, with constituencies in which SC/STs, Lingayats and Muslims together form the majority. The BJP is looking to cash in on the internal reservations announced for SC communities, along with the hike in reservation for Lingayats, to ensure the party fares better than it did in 2018.

There are also concerns among some voters that development takes a backseat during elections, with political parties relying on caste equations to ensure victory in some seats. Nevertheless, constituency-level local issues remain a major factor. Candidates with the best outreach among voters, coupled with their caste identity, appear headed for easy wins here. Money is also a significant factor.

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Locals remain bitter about the lack of implementation of development projects in the region. There are complaints over the relocation of the IIT from Raichur to Dharwad, the scrapping of a proposed railway division at Kalaburagi, delay in implementation of irrigation projects, lack of availability of drinking water in summer, and the lack of sanitation, etc. There also are complaints that the Kalyana Karnataka Development Board, dedicated to the region, has done little to improve their lives, and has been ineffective in using the thousands of crores allocated to it.

Kalyana Karnataka

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