Candidates of 2013 polls in triangular contest again

Congress nominee and sitting MLA M P Ravindra is leaving no stone unturned to use the recent inclusion of Harapanahalli taluk in Ballari district to ensure people of the taluk receive all facilities extended to Hyderabad-Karnataka region under Article 371(J) as his main poll agenda to retain the Harapanahalli seat.

Former minister and BJP candidate G Karunakara Reddy, elder brother of mining baron
G Janardhana Reddy, is banking on implementation of development works when the BJP was in power, to restore his lost hold over the constituency.

The JD(S) nominee Arasikere N Kotresh is using local leader card to register his maiden victory from Harapanahalli. Kotresh decided to face the polls on the JD(S)ticket after he was denied one by the BJP. He had faced the 2013 Assembly polls as KJP candidate and bagged 27,997 votes. Though it looks like a triangular contest, Ravindra and Reddy seem to have an edge over Kotresh as the JD(S) lacks base in the constituency.

Of the total 2,01,133 voters, 1,03,447 voters are male, 97,669 are female and 17 beong to the third gender. Lingayats form major chunk of voters, followed by the SCs/STs and other backward classes. The Congress and JD(S) candidates are both Lingayats. But, Reddy is pinning his hopes on the BJP’s chief ministerial candidate B S Yeddyurappa, who is regarded as a strong leader of Lingayats. Besides, the constituency was part of Bellary Lok Sabha constituency during Reddy’s tenure as Bellary MP. So, he is hoping that his old link with the constituency will help him sail through.

Ravindra, son of former minister the late M P Prakash, had announced that he would not contest the Assembly polls this time. Later, he changed his mind after Chief Minister Siddaramaiah convinced him. Besides, the state government also included Harapanahalli, which was in Davangere district, in Ballari district in March this year to mianly help the party to retain the seat. This has turned out to be an added advantage to Ravindra.

This time, Janardhana Reddy is not campaiging for Karunakara due to their strained relationship. Besides, Karunkara is facing a BJP rebel in Kotresh. He making all efforts to garner the support of backward classes.

Kotresh, a postgraduate in agriculture, who runs seeds company, has the potential to get support from voters on the main ground that unlike his rivals, Ravindra (a native of Hadagali) and Karunakara (a native of Ballari), he is a local man and would be available for their service
24/7.