Dharwad district hosted both thumping and narrow wins

With increasing number of candidates contesting in Assembly elections in recent decades, poll fray in seven constituencies in the district is getting more curious every time. The percentage of votes bagged by victorious candidates and their winning margin show the changing strength of political parties and candidates every time.

Though Dharwad district has the example of winning candidate bagging more than 80% of votes in earlier days, crossing 50% vote share is now considered as a major achievement for the winning candidate. However, there has been many fluctuations in the vote share and winning margin, and the district hosted some 'big wins' and 'narrow victories' in recent decades.

The 2013 Assembly election was an example for how the intensity of the poll fight changes from one constituency to another in the district itself.

In Kalghatagi constituency, Santosh Lad of Congress registered a huge victory with 34.70% margin (45,661 votes) against CMNimbannavar of BJP, and he had secured 58.37% of the polled votes. The least winning margin was of NHKonaraddi of JD(S) in Navalgund constituency, as his winning margin was 1.94% (2,669 votes), and he had secured 32.36% of total polled votes.

Previous elections

In 2008 elections, Chandrakanth Bellad of BJP had the credit of getting maximum victory margin in the district, with 33,347 votes of margin (30.70%), and his vote share was 55.97% in Hubballi-Dharwad West constituency. There was a neck-to-neck flight in Dharwad (rural) constituency, where Seema Masuthi of BJP defeated Vinay Kulkarni of Congress by just 723 votes (0.65%).

In 2004, only Jagadish Shettar of BJP had a big win in the district, with a victory margin of 19.81% (26,536 votes) in Hubballi Rural constituency. Victory margin of winning candidates in all other constituencies in the district was below 6,000 votes.

In 1999 also, Mr Shettar had a big victory margin of 21.55% (25,254 votes) in Hubballi Rural constituency. At the same time, Chandrakanth Bellad of BJP had just a 988 vote-win (0.98%) against SRMorey of Congress, in erstwhile Dharwad constituency. In 1983 here, Mr Bellad was defeated by Mr Morey by just 132 votes.

Even amidst such variations in the district, voters in Hubballi-Dharwad Central constituency (erstwhile Hubballi Rural) gave not less than 15,000 votes of winning margin to JagadishShettar in last five elections, sine 1994.

Vote share

In 1960s and 1970s, winning candidates securing huge vote share and having a big victory margin with regard to the percentage of votes was not a rare thing.

Way back in 1957, BRTambakad has bagged 84.64% of vote share in Kalghatagi constituency. In Dharwad Rural constituency, SVAgnihotri and Sumati Madiman got more than 70% of votes in 1967 and 1972 respectively. FHMohsin from Hubballi constituency (1957), and M RPatil of Hubballi Rural constituency (1962) also bagged more than 70% of votes.

The district also has example of winning candidate getting less than 30% of total valid votes. In 1985, independent candidate Chandrakanth Bellad emerged victorious with just 25.03% of votes in a close fight in erstwhile Dharwad constituency.