Karnataka   

Can Congress, BJP storm JD(S) bastion?

Priority: Labourers busy harvesting paddy in Kothadoddi village, near Deodurga

Deodurga (Raichur district): The byelection to the Deodurga Assembly segment is all set to witness a triangular fight among three major political parties.

The previous election was held when the farming activities came to an end in April encouraging the farmers to take active part in the Assembly elections.

The byelection has come at a time when majority of farmers are busy in harvesting kharif crops. “The farmers are busy in harvesting their crops and they have no time for elections. But the situation has made them to cast their votes”, said Ranmanna Naik, an agriculturist, who was busy with his labourers in harvesting paddy at Kothadoddi village, near Deodurga.

They are aware that Minister for Adult Education, Library, Small Savings and Lottery K. Shivangouda Naik is the key person who is responsible in creating such a situation. Within a month of the election, Mr. Naik, who was elected on Janata Dal (Secular) ticket, resigned his seat and joined the Bharatiya Janata Party, forcing the byelection. His argument is that he took such a decision bring development in the constituency. But it has created a questionable doubt among the voters in the segment.

Going by the political situation where the leaders from the BJP, the Congress, the Janata Dal (Secular) have still been busy in campaigning, the Congress and the BJP have been trying to make inroads into the stronghold of the Janata Dal (Secular), which still has its influence over the constituency.

The farmers, especially small and marginal land holders, who have benefited with irrigation under the Narayanapura Right Bank Canal (NRBC), still express their gratitude to the former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda. The farmers are happy that the cost of the cultivable land in Deodurga, which had no value before the implementation of the project, has now gone up by about Rs. 2 lakh an acre. Irrigation helped the poor farmers to stop selling their land at throwaway price. The agricultural labourers, who often opted for migration in search of employment, have now engaged themselves in the fields. Mr. Shivangouda is contesting the byelection on BJP ticket this time mainly banking on the youths to gain his popularity in the constituency where the BJP is still considered weak.

Bhagawantharaya Naik, son of Raichur MP A. Venkatesh Naik, (Mr. Shivangouda Naik is the grandson of Mr. Venkatesh Naik) is contesting the election for the first time as Congress candidate. With considerable hold over the constituency, Mr. Vekatesh Naik has been trying to apply his influence over the constituency to tilt the voters in favour of his son. The situation may lead to a division in votes belonging to the Naik community. J(S) candidate C. Raghu is facing the election for first time.

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