Hangal headed for a photo finish in high-stakes battle

The Hangal bypoll can go either way. “We can’t forget the work done by C M Udasi, but we also know that Srinivas Mane responded to people,” an elderly farmer at Araleshwar village said, summarizing why the Hangal bypoll may be a photo finish. 

The October 30 bypoll was necessitated due to the death of Udasi, and the BJP has picked Shivaraj Sajjanar as its candidate.

Mane is the Congress’ candidate, making it a high-voltage fight full of allegations and counters. Both parties are banking on their candidates’ goodwill. 

For Prashant Muchandi, however, both candidates lack the vision for real development of Hangal. “They’re not talking about issues like road widening, saving public land, health and education. They’re speaking about public service only for elections.”

Winning Hangal is a prestige issue, mainly for the BJP, whose chief minister Basavaraj Bommai hails from the Haveri district where this seat is located.

Hangal, the western-most taluk of Haveri, neighbours Shiggaon, Bommai’s constituency. Congress leaders are also leaving no stone unturned to garner people’s support.

It is for the first time in nearly four decades that the Hangal election does not have Udasi, a 6-time MLA, or Manohar Tahsildar (Congress), a 4-time MLA. And, neither Sajjanar nor Mane are Hangal natives.

There was initial discontent among BJP workers on not fielding a member from the Udasi family, which seems to have died down. Udasi’s son and MP Shivakumar Udasi is actively campaigning along with Sajjanar. 

It will help Sajjanar that he belongs to the dominant Lingayat community. But, he is an “outsider” and not a member of the Udasi household, which may damage the BJP’s prospects. 

The JD(S) announced Niyaz Sheikh, a Muslim, as its candidate well in advance. 

The Congress has its traditional votes and some sympathy for having narrowly lost the 2018 polls. But then, disagreement over the choice of Mane and him not being a native may play spoilsport. 

The Lingayats, Muslims, SCs and Gangamatasthas are the dominant communities in Hangal, who are being wooed.  

JD(S) fielding a Muslim has irked the Congress, Sheikh was earlier with the Congress.

Mane said his first priority will be to implement government programmes. Sajjanar said he has goodwill and that his election will help the constituency, given that Bommai is Hangal’s “son-in-law”. For Sheikh, people want a change. “They’ve seen both BJP and Congress.”