AIMIM, JD(S) likely to change equations in H-D East constituency

Unlike previous elections which brought a Congress-BJP direct fight in Hubballi-Dharwad East Assembly constituency, where Muslim voters are a major chunk of the electorate and play a decisive role, the situation will not be so clear this time, as the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), and JD(S) are also preparing to field candidates here.

Being continuously represented by the Congress since 2013, this segment, reserved for Scheduled Caste (SC) has been a traditional battleground for Congress and BJP for a direct fight in most of the polls even before the delimitation and reservation in 2008, when it was Hubballi Urban constituency.

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When the Congress is aiming to win this seat again in 2023, and BJP is trying to wrest it, the entry of AIMIM and JD(S) is expected to change the caste equations in the polls this time.

After winning three wards in Hubball-Dharwad East Constituency and causing the defeat of Congress candidates in a few more seats in its debut during the Hubballi-Dharwad Mahanagara Palike (HDMP) elections held last year, the AIMIM has now planned to field its candidates in three Assembly constituencies in the district, including Hubballi-Dharwad East. In HDMP polls, the AIMIM could perform considerably well in some wards having sizeable number of Muslim community members, in this constituency.

As the number of Muslim voters in this constituency is estimated to be around one lakh, the AIMIM's contest is being seen as a major threat for the Congress itself. Moreover, the AIMIM leaders are expecting that a visit by AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi to this constituency before the polls would do the magic.

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After Muslims, SCs are the next largest community in this constituency, leaders say. As of now, the total number of voters in this constituency is 2.01 lakh, and the voters' list is being revised.

'AIMIM's contest sure'

"We will definitely field a candidate in Hubballi-Dharwad East, and we will win. We already have several aspirants. Our national president will also come for campaigning," says AIMIM district president Nazir Ahmed Honnyal.

AIMIM ticket aspirant Vijay Guntral, who was in the limelight recently for getting permission to celebrate Tipu Jayanti at Idgah Maidan, says that he is working for all communities including Muslims and Dalits in the constituency for the last three years.

JD(S) in 2018 polls had supported the BSP candidate who could not even get four-digit votes. This time, the JD(S) is planning to field its candidate, and to try to get the support of more Muslim voters by actively involving its State president C M Ibrahim.

"In addition to aspirants from our own party, a few ticket aspirants from BJP and Congress are also in touch with us. The party would decide who should be the candidate, but a strong leader would be fielded this time," says JD(S) city district president Gururaj Hunasimarad, who also ruled out the possibility of JD(S)-AIMIM alliance this time.

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has also planned to contest here, while Basavaraj Terdal is among the AAP ticket aspirants.

Cong, BJP

Along with sitting MLA Prasad Abbayya, former corporators Mohan Hiremani and Hanumant Bankapur have also sought tickets to contest from the Congress in Hubballi-Dharwad East.

The list of aspirants for BJP ticket is long, and it includes Basavaraj Amminabhavi, Dr Kranthi Kiran, former MLA Veerabhadrappa Halaharavi, former mayor Venkatesh Mestri, Chandrashekhar Gokak, and Shankarappa Bijwad.