PM’s Karnataka Roadshow, BJP’s concerted fight to keep Belagavi

Belgavi/Bengaluru: The BJP’s Karnataka unit has planned a big show of strength during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Shivamogga and Belagavi today. The Prime Minister’s itinerary comprises the launch of Shivamogga airport and a 10-km roadshow in Belagavi – part of an elaborate outreach plan ahead of the state polls due later this year.

Why Belagavi Is Important: The Belagavi district in the Kittur-Karnataka region has 18 assembly segments and has traditionally been a BJP stronghold. Its significance in the party’s poll plan has been compounded as the BJP appears to be on a backfoot this time due to corruption charges and murmurs of rebellion from some MLAs who had switched to the BJP from Janata Dal (Secular) and the Congress.

After its stronghold Bengaluru, it is Belagavi that can determine poll results for the BJP. The region accounts for the highest population of Lingayats — an influential community that constitutes 17 percent of Karnataka’s population.

During the 2018 elections, the BJP won 13 out of the 18 seats in Belagavi. In the Kittur-Karnataka region, earlier known as Mumbai-Karnataka, the BJP won nearly 30 seats out of the total 50 – nearly 30 per cent of the BJP’s total tally of 104.

What’s Different This Time: The Prime Minister’s roadshow and frequent visits by top BJP leaders, including Home Minister Amit Shah, spark curiosity on why the party has doubled its focus on a region that is a BJP bastion anyway.

A key reason is a leadership vacuum. Former chief minister BS Yediyurappa, the tallest Lingayat leader in the state, recently announced retirement from electoral politics. The BJP also faced setbacks after two key leaders — former minister Umesh Katti and Deputy Speaker of Assembly Anand Mamani died last year. Prior to that, BJP’s Ramesh Jarkiholi was forced to resign as minister amid the 2021 sex for job scandal.

The BJP lost its key Lingayat leader Suresh Angadi, a former Belagavi MP and Union Railway Minister, due to Covid in 2020. Sanjay Patil, chief of BJP’s Belagavi unit, concedes that there is a leadership void. Speaking to NDTV, Mr Patil said that they are heavily relying on central leaders this time as there is “no local Lingayat face”.

What is the BJP Plan: With a Lingayat heavyweight missing, the BJP has fallen back on its biggest strength — the appeal of Prime Minister Modi. Mr Patil says that despite the void, he was confident that the BJP would win 15 out of 18 seats in the district, bettering last time’s show. The tussle within the Congress, between factions led by Siddaramaiah and DK Shivakumar, will also benefit the BJP, he said.

The BJP central leadership is focusing on Kittur-Karnataka — the districts of Uttara Kannada, Belagavi, Dharwad, Vijayapura, Bagalkote, Gadag and Haveri — south Karnataka and Hyderabad Karnataka regions as it goes all out in its attempt to return to power in its southern stronghold.