Will Shettar contest from Haveri-Gadag Lok Sabha Constituency? Will Bommai enter the fray?

Bengaluru: The BJP’s stronghold of Haveri-Gadag Lok Sabha Constituency MP Shivkumar Udasi who has announced that he will not contest this time has raised a lot of curiosity. While the list of aspirants in BJP and Congress is growing, the news that Jagdish Shettar will enter the fray from BJP is spreading thickly. Meanwhile, the news that former Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai may contest has created a stir in the political circles.

In view of MP Udasi backing out from the poll, many people of BJP are keeping an eye on this constituency. The list of aspirants is also increasing in the Congress, which has achieved a wonderful victory in the assembly elections, and the names of new faces are being heard, including seniors and juniors.

This constituency covers a total of eight assembly constituencies including five in Haveri district and three in Gadag district. BJP has won three consecutive elections since 2008 and made it a stronghold. In the meantime, the Congress is making a strategy to capture the constituency somehow this time.

As it becomes certain that MP Udasi will not contest, the number of aspirants in the BJP is increasing. The old, young and new faces of Haveri and Gadag district are keen to contest in this constituency. Former Chief Ministers Basavaraj Bommai, Jagadish Shettar, former minister BC Patil, former minister KS Eshwarappa’s son Kantesh, immediate past BJP district president Siddaraja Kalakoti, Manjunath Madivalara of Haveri, K Shivalingappa of Ranebennur, lawyer Sandeep Patil, Dr Mahesh Nalawada of Hubli, Dr Shekhara Sajjanara of Gadag district, Karabasappa Hanchinal and Many other names are being heard.

The Congress has failed in this constituency in the last three Lok Sabha elections, and this time it is again using tactics to win the constituency.

The huge victory on implemention of guarantees in the assembly elections has increased the enthusiasm among the Congressmen. Therefore, many Congress aspirants have come forward to contest from this constituency. Chief among them are KPCC Working President, Legislative Council Chief Whip Salim Ahmed, Anandaswamy Gaddadevaramath, son of former MLA GS Gaddadevaramath from Shirahatti Constituency, KPCC Graduate Unit State President Dr RM Kuberappa, Haveri Municipal Council Ex-Chairperson Sanjeevakumar Neeralgi, Ex-MP Manjunath Kunnar, Ex-Member of Legislative Council Somanna name has come to the fore.

The BJP leaders are strategizing to regain control of this constituency, which is known as a BJP stronghold, and ensure that the constituency does not go out of hand.

Former CM Basavaraj Bommai, who says that he is not an aspirant for Lok Sabha ticket, is heard in the BJP circles saying that he would not be surprised if he would enter the fray if suggested by BJP leaders. In the meantime, the name of former CM Jagdish Shettar, who has rejoined the BJP camp, is being heard for this Lok Sabha constituency.

Also, former Deputy Chief Minister KS Eshwarappa, who stayed away from the last assembly elections due to the instructions of the party leaders, has been trying to provide a political base for his son Kanthesh, and has been traveling around the constituency.

Amidst all these developments, there is a growing demand that locals should be accommodated to whoever is given a ticket.-