No cakewalk for BJP in Basavakalyan bypoll

Aside from discord in the administration, the ruling BJP is having to confront a tough battle in the bypoll-bound Basavakalyan and Maski assembly constituencies where the party’s poll managers feel things are not as easy as they expected.

In Basavakalyan, the BJP faces rebel trouble as former MLA Mallikarjun Khuba has decided to contest as an Independent. Coupled with some disgruntlement over Sharanu Salagar’s candidature, the BJP is worried about Lingayat and Maratha votes getting split.

Party sources said while they were confident of an easy win in the Belgaum Lok Sabha seat, it was not the same case with the assembly bypolls.

In Basavakalyan, the BJP has fielded Salagar, a Lingayat, whereas the Congress has picked Mallamma, wife of late MLA B Narayan Rao and the JD(S) has fielded Syed Yasrab Ali Quadri hoping to woo the minorities.

However, with Khuba, also a Lingayat, distancing himself from the party and wanting to contest as an independent, the party fears that the community votes will be divided.

Also, Salagar’s candidature might rub the 40,000-strong Maratha community in the wrong way. Apparently, they wanted the ticket for someone from their community.

The Sharad Pawar-led NCP, which has fielded M G Mule, a Maratha, will look to cash in. “The candidate has a support base among the OBCs, minorities and the Marathas. The party also has a Lingayat support base. We’re expecting at least 20,000 votes,” NCP state president Tilak Nambiar said.

Meanwhile, the minority votes might go either way. “If the voters stick with the Congress and not go with JD(S), it’ll be another blow for us,” a senior BJP leader said.

Anti-incumbency test in Maski

In Maski, the party is fighting hard to ensure the victory of disqualified MLA Pratapgouda Patil amid a sense of anti-incumbency. Patil is a three-time MLA facing Congress candidate Basanagouda Turvihal, who lost on a BJP ticket by just 213 votes in the previous election. The anti-incumbency might garner sympathy votes for Turvihal, some BJP leaders fear.

The outcome of the Maski bypoll will be key for Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa as he is said to be keen on ensuring Patil’s victory as he was one of the 17 MLAs who defected, helping the BJP come to power.

BJP general secretary N Ravikumar is confident of victory “We’re working on the ground. We’re taking up community-level and door-to-door campaigns. There’s definitely tough competition, but we’ll win for sure,” he asserted.