Karnataka - Gulbarga   

Uphill task for Veerbasantreddy in Yadgir segment

GULBARGA: Veerbasantreddy Mudnal is likely to face an uphill task to retain the Yadgir Assembly Constituency which is dominated by Reddy Lingayats and Muslims. Polling will be held in the constituency on May 22.

Mr. Veerbasantreddy Mudnal contested as a Janata Dal (Secular) rebel and defeated Congress strongman A.B. Maalakaraddy by a margin of over 11,000 votes in the 2004 elections.

He later became the associate member of the Janata Dal (S). After the dissolution of the Assembly, Mr. Veerbasantreddy Mudnal joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and is now contesting on the party ticket.

Everything appeared rosy for Mr. Veerbasantreddy Mudnal until his relative Venkatreddy Mudnal, son of the former Minister Vishwanathreddy Mudnal, sought the BJP ticket from neighbouring Gurmitkal Assembly Constituency. The unwritten agreement was that Mr. Vishwanathreddy Mudnal would extend support to Mr. Veerbasantreddy Mudnal provided Mr. Venkatreddy Mudnal was allotted ticket to contest for Gurmitkal seat.

However, the BJP rejected Mr. Venkatreddy Mudnal’s demand and gave the party ticket to Vittal Heroor, an influential leader in the Kabbaliga community.

Mr. Veerbasantreddy Mudnal had won the 2004 elections with the support of Mr. Vishwanathreddy Mudnal and Naganagowda Kandakur, rivals of Mr. Maalakaraddy.

However, this time Mr. Veerbasantreddy Mudnal will not get Mr. Kandakur’s support as he is contesting from Gurmitkal on a Janata Dal (S) ticket. The Janata Dal (S) has fielded zilla panchayat member Srinivas Reddy against Mr. Veerbasantreddy Mudnal.

According to political observers, the BJP has lost a good chance of winning the Gurmitkal and Yadgir seats by inviting Mr. Vishwanathreddy Mudnal’s “wrath” as he can damage the prospects of the BJP in both constituencies.

The present situation is tailor-made for Mr. Maalakaraddy to regain the constituency. Yadgir constituency has 2.39 lakh voters, including 1,19,712 men and 1,19,925 women. There are about 28,000 people belonging to the Kuruba community and 40,000 Muslims in the segment.

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