Karnataka - Gulbarga   

It may not be a cakewalk for Congress in Gurmitkal

GULBARGA: The Congress is feeling the absence of its State unit president M. Mallikarjun Kharge in the Gurmitkal Assembly constituency for the first time in the past 36 years.

Mr. Mallikarjun Kharge is now contesting from the Chitapur constituency in the district after his traditional Gurmitkal constituency was made a general constituency during the delimitation exercise.

The Congress has nominated the former Minister and three-time MLA from Chitapur, Baburao Chinchansur of the Kabbaliga community, to contest from the Gurmitkal segment.

There are 40,000 voters in the constituency from his community.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has also fielded a leader from the Kabbaliga community, Vittal Heroor, who resigned from the Congress just a day before the last date for filing of nomination papers.

The constituency is dominated by Reddy Lingayats, who say this election will not be a cakewalk for the Congress.

Rebel candidate of the Bharatiya Janata Party Venkatreddy Mudnal, son of the former Minister and Reddy Lingayat leader Vishwanath Reddy Mudnal, may spoil the winning chances of Mr. Heroor.

Mr. Mudnal has emerged as a close contestant for the Congress candidate.

The Janata Dal (Secular) has fielded the former Chairman of the Hyderabad Karnataka Development Board, Naganagouda Kandakur, another Reddy Lingayat candidate and a close associate of Mr. Vishwanath Reddy Mudnal. Mr. Kandakur has a good following in some villages and may garner many votes of Mr. Venkatreddy Mudnal.

Mr. Heroor, a respected leader from the Kabbaliga community, was an MLC when he was with the Janata Dal (Secular).

His volatile behaviour and changing political parties to suit his needs has dented his image among the community members.

Mr. Baburao Chinchansur, who is known for his high- pitched campaign and winning over the voters with his inimitable style of campaigning, may also find it tough this time as Mr. Mudnal and Mr. Heroor are in the fray.

However, the traditional Congress vote bank and the support extended by Reddy Lingayat leaders such as Chennareddy Tunnur, former MLC, and the goodwill earned by Mr. Mallikarjun Kharge with his efforts to develop Gurmitkal as a model constituency, may help Mr. Chinchansur emerge victorious.

The Gurmitkal segment has 1,76,476 voters, of whom 90,617 are men.

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