Karnataka   

Factors that may go against Congress

Chitradurga: Unlike in the last Assembly elections, the road to success seems to be a thorny one for the Congress in Chitradurga district where polling for the second phase will be held on May 16.

The Congress appears to be losing ground in the district which has been its stronghold so far.

The factors that may adversely contribute to the party’s success are the redrawing of constituencies after the delimitation process, the emergence of rebellious candidates who are now contesting as independents, the growing support for independent candidates in some constituencies, and the increasing popularity of the Bharatiya Janata Party.

The district, which earlier had seven constituencies, has six after the delimitation exercise.

In Chitradurga, the Congress candidate and former MLA, G. H. Tippareddy, who has won the elections for the three terms, has to overcome several hindrances to taste success. The increasing support for the Janata Dal (Secular) candidate, S.K. Basavarajan, is likely to be one among them. The BJP is also bound to spoil it for the Congress.

Hiriyur is another constituency where the Congress candidate, Geeta Nandini Gowda, is facing stiff competition from four Congress rebels, including two former MLAs, A.V. Umpati from Holalkere and D. Sudhakar from Challakere. They are contesting as independent candidates after they lost their constituencies in the delimitation exercise, and the high command denied them ticket for Hiriyur.

In Challakere, the Congress has pitted actor and former MP, Shashikumar Nayak, against the BJP candidate Tippeswamy, who quit the Janata Dal(S). A major factor which will go against Mr. Nayak is the fact that he is an “outsider”. As Mr. Tippeswamy is a local candidate, the voters are likely to prefer him.

In Holalkere too, the Congress candidate, H. Anjaneya, is encountering a similar problem. Mr. Anjaneya is also considered an outsider as he is contesting here after losing his Bharamasagar constituency. Victory would not be easy for him as the other strong contenders, including Chandrappa of the BJP and Devendra Nayak of the Janata Dal(S) are expected to give him a tough fight.

In Molakalmur, the former Congress MLA, N.Y. Hanumanthappa, is in trouble. Here, people are looking for change saying his performance has been poor. Muslims, who are unhappy, are supporting the Janata Dal(S) candidate (Mr. Tippeswamy). The caste factor may play a decisive factor here.

An independent candidate, Gulihatti Shekhar, is giving sleepless nights to the former Congress MLA, B.G. Govindappa, in Hosadurga.

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