BJP conjures outsider spoke to stop Congress’s guarantee wheel

Hundreds from Raichur district board Bengaluru-bound buses and trains every day in search of better opportunities and livelihoods. This exodus of citizens is not because the district is a barren landscape. It is more about failure to tap available opportunities.

Flanked by two major rivers — Tungabhadra and Krishna, Raichur district is a fertile landscape with rich deposits of gold. It generates more than 60% of Karnataka’s electricity, has India’s largest cotton market and produces export quality rice. Yet, Raichur is considered one of the most backward districts of Karnataka.

A historic town in Kalyana Karnataka region, Raichur lost an Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) to Dharwad. The IIIT it secured as an alternative lacks funds and infrastructure. Raichur’s demand for an AIIMS campus too has not been considered. Raichur University, set up on 250 acres, is crying for funds. The district also lost the proposed textile park to adjoining Kalaburagi.

Monumental inefficiency

The incomplete work on the Karnataka side of the HubballiMahboobnagar railway line is a monument to the inefficiency of MPs from Raichur and neighbouring Koppal. The line, for which the foundation stone was laid in 1997, is up and running on the Telangana side. The 63km Raichur-Gadhwal line completed seven years ago too is not operational.

Ideally, these issues should have dominated elections but political parties, amid the sweltering heat, are attempting to piggyback on guarantees and Hindutva in Raichur ST reserved Lok Sabha constituency. The constituency includes four taluks from Raichur district and three from neighbouring Yadgir district.

Congress lost the seat to BJP in 2019 and in a bid to regain it, the grand old party has fielded retired additional chief secretary G Kumar Naik against incumbent MP, Raja Amareshwara Naik, a scion of the royal family of Guragunta in the region.

Simmering discontent Congress is portraying Kumar Naik as an educated and clean individual who could best represent Raichur’s interests in the Lok Sabha, but BJP is painting him as an outsider. Kumar Naik claims to have served extensively in the district but that was two decades ago. Kumar Naik’s fortunes are dependent on local Congress functionaries but there’s simmering discontent within the party cadre despite the state level leadership pacifying the district level leaders.

Congress won five of the eight seats that fall under the constituency in the assembly elections last year. A byelection to Shorapur assembly seat — vacant following the death of Raja Venkatappa Nayak — will also be held on May 7. BJP holds two MLA seats and JD(S) one.

The constituency has an estimated 3.8 lakh Lingayat, 6.1 lakh SC & ST, 3.2 lakh Kuruba, 3.1 lakh Muslim and 3.3 lakh other community votes. Congress is eyeing Muslim, Kuruba, part of SC & ST votes and is also confident of bagging votes of Yadavs and Gangamatasthas who constitute a chunk. BJP is banking on Lingayats and a portion of SC & ST votes.

Rock and a hard place Amareshwar Naik claims 100% participation in parliamentary proceedings, but it hasn’t helped develop the district. There is also a complaint that he is inaccessible to citizens. Even though the previous BJP government in Karnataka had announced a greenfield airport project at Raichur, funds have not been allocated. Yet, the party is hopeful that the Modi wave and Hindutva factor will sway votes in its favour.

The neutral stand of former MP BV Naik, who had defected to BJP and failed to get a ticket, has party brass worried. Even though the two BJP MLAs have been toiling for the party’s victory, the absence of Shivana Gouda Nayak in Devadurga and Rajugouda (Narasimha Naik) in Shorapur is acute. Both leaders were instrumental in Amareshwara Naik’s victory in 2019. While Shivana Gouda, after losing to JD(S) Karemma, has distanced himself from the constituency, Raju Gowda is busy fighting the Shorapur bypoll.

Citizens have no hope in either party. “But we need to vote for somebody,” said Sanjay Patil, a hotelier in Manvi taluk.