Karnataka polls: 2018's biggest winner now fights for political survival

In 2018, R Akhanda Srinivas Murthy entered the record books by winning the Pulakeshinagar assembly constituency (reserved) by the highest margin in Karnataka.

He secured 97,574 of the total 1,25,030 votes, trouncing his JD(S) rival B Prasanna Kumar by 81,626 votes.

Cut to 2023. Murthy, 54, battles for political survival. His name hasn't figured on the four Congress party lists so far. And if the political grapevine is anything to go by, he will likely be denied the ticket.

Murthy admitted as much when he quit as MLA and filed his nomination papers as an independent candidate without fanfare.

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On August 11, 2020, riots erupted in northeastern Bengaluru over an offensive Facebook post uploaded by Murthy's nephew P Naveen.

Protesters torched DJ Halli and KG Halli police stations as well as Murthy's house in Kaval Byrasandra. They were angry that Murthy didn't order his nephew's arrest. Murthy blamed his intra-party rivals R Sampath Raj and A R Zakir for the "political conspiracy".

Police arrested scores of people for rioting. Locals say many were innocent.

With Muslims forming about 54 per cent of the electorate, their support is crucial for any candidate.

"Pulakeshinagar has been a Congress bastion. Most people don't care about the Congress candidate as long as it's not Murthy," said Ibrahim Nafees, a resident of Kushalnagar.

Murthy, however, said he had no idea why he hadn't been given the ticket yet. "My house was torched in the riots. I don't know what was my fault," he told DH.

Murthy said Pulakeshinagar was known for its communal harmony. "Hindus, Muslims and Christians live peacefully," he said. He added that he was determined to contest even if he was denied the ticket.

BTM Layout MLA Ramalinga Reddy, who is the Congress party's in charge of Bengaluru, said local Muslims were angry with Murthy following the riots. But he refused to confirm or deny if Murthy would get the ticket. "You have to ask the (KPCC) president," he told this reporter.

Kumar, Murthy's main rival in 2018, has now joined the Congress and is vying for the ticket. A N Srinivas is another contender.

The SDPI, many of whose members were arrested for the riots, has fielded B R Bhaskar Prasad. Local residents say the SDPI could make things difficult for the Congress party. The BJP has fielded A Murali, a local party worker from Tannery Road. The JD(S) is yet to announce its nominee.