'Maratha challenge': Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti decides to contest Karnataka's Belagavi, Karwar LS seats

Bengaluru: The Maharashtra Ekikarana Samithi (MES), which is seeking the merger of Karnataka's Belagavi district with Maharashtra, on Wednesday announced that it has decided to field its candidates in Belagavi and Karwar Lok Sabha seats in Karnataka.

With the entry of the MES, the direct fight between the BJP and the Congress has now turned into a triangular contest as there is a significant presence of Maratha voters in two districts.

The MES has decided to field Mahadeva Patil as its candidate in Belagavi and Niranjan Sardesai as the candidate for the Karwar Seat. Patil has been a worker of the MES for more than 50 years whereas Sardesai has been working for it for 15 years.

With both leaders known for their anti-Kannada and anti-Karnataka stands, Patil, after the declaration of his candidature, accused the Karnataka government of "dominating" Marathi-speaking people in Belagavi and other parts and people need to vote for his MES to prevent "atrocities".

The Belagavi seat has already become a high-profile constituency with the BJP fielding former CM Jagadish Shettar, who recently rejoined the party, as its candidate, while Mrinal Hebbalkar, son of state Women and Child Welfare Minister Laxmi Hebbalkar is the Congress candidate.

After the MES lost its prominence in assembly elections, the Maratha voters supported the BJP. However, Laxmi Hebbalkar and Dr Anjali Nimbalkar, both from the Congress, emerged as their leaders in the region.

Nimbalkar, who lost to the BJP from Khanapur Assembly seat in 2019, is the Karwar candidate of the Congress. The BJP has denied a ticket to Hindutva firebrand and former Union Minister Ananth Kumar Hegde and fielded Sormer speaker Vishweshwara Hegde Kageri.

It is to be seen whether the national parties continue their domination in the region or the MES will be able to make a comeback.