Lok Sabha Polls: Why PM Modi Chose Kalaburagi, Shimoga Seats in Karnataka to Kickstart Campaign

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is starting his campaign for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections from Karnataka’s Kalaburagi and Shimoga on Saturday, is sending twin messages to two sections of society – scheduled castes and Lingayats, which have been steadfast supporters of the BJP in the past.

Kalaburagi, or Gulbarga, is a reserved seat and the bastion of Congress national president Mallikarjun Kharge, who is not contesting this time. Despite that, the prime minister wants to send a clear message by taking on the opposition INDIA bloc in Kharge’s backyard.

Kharge had won this seat in 2009 and 2014, but lost to the BJP’s Umesh Jadhav in 2019 by a margin of more than 95,000 votes. The Congress, which is in power in Karnataka after a thumping victory in the 2023 assembly poll, is hopeful about winning over 10 seats in the general elections. The party had managed to win only the Bengaluru rural Lok Sabha seat in 2019, represented by DK Suresh.

Prime Minister Modi’s focus in Kalaburagi is likely to be to attack Kharge and his party’s commitment to the SC community.

This part of the Hyderabad Karnataka region has always been a stronghold of the grand old party, but a large section of the SCs there belong to the Madiga community that is popularly called the left sect. The Madigas are more in number than the Holeyas, which is the right sect to which Kharge belongs. But, socially, economically, and educationally, the Madigas are more backward than the Holeyas.

After the BJP’s poor performance in northern Karnataka, including Kalaburagi, in the 2023 election, the PM’s visit will also send a message to the constituents as well as the cadre in the region that the BJP is “very serious about elections”, said political analyst A Narayana.

On March 18, PM Modi will be in Shimoga to honour former CM BS Yediyurappa, who created the social base of the upper-caste group of Lingayats to become a mass leader. By campaigning in this Lok Sabha constituency, he will be showcasing the BJP’s commitment and support for Yediyurappa’s supremacy.

Popularly known as BSY, the political veteran had single-handedly brought the BJP to power in the state in 2008. He had also ensured that the saffron party won 25 out of a total of 28 Lok Sabha seats in the 2019 polls. Yediyurappa’s elder son BY Raghavendra has also been renominated for the fourth time from this seat.

Shimoga is in the Old Mysore region, unlike Kalaburagi that is in northern Karnataka. The dominant community in this southern segment are the Lingayats, who have traditionally supported the BJP.

“The BJP fought a weak election in the Gulbarga region, the stronghold of Mallikarjun Kharge and his minister son Priyank Kharge. Despite the BJP’s last-minute efforts to woo the Dalits in this area, which is considered a Dalit heartland, the BJP has not been doing too well. The fight in Gulbarga is between the Lingayats and Dalit OBCs. This may be the other reason why Modi chose this seat to kickstart his campaign,” Narayana said.

On campaigning in Shimoga, the political analyst said the BJP and Modi are sending a message to the party cadre that though southern Karnataka is their stronghold and, in a high-octane election such as this, there is a need to protect their bastion and work unitedly.

“Modi wants the party to also cultivate fresh ground in the Hyderabad Karnataka region and acknowledge the support that the BJP has enjoyed,” he said.

The state BJP also expects Modi to send a clear message during his visit in Shimoga to those party leaders who are upset by the ticket distribution. They want his visit and possible meeting with senior party leader KS Eshwarappa to be a message that the party stands by them and will have to wait in the wings for their chance.

Upset on being denied a ticket for his son Kanthesh, Eshwarappa has been contemplating fielding him as an independent candidate from Shimoga. He had been demanding the Haveri Lok Sabha seat, but the BJP high command gave it to former CM Basavaraj Bommai.

Karnataka minister Priyank Kharge told News18 that Modi, who is the “only campaigner of the BJP”, could have chosen any place to start his campaign, but chose Kalaburagi. This is possibly to send a strong message to the south not to reject him, he said.

He further said Modi wants to tell the electorate that he is in the Congress chief’s backyard, and that the BJP loves the south. “We all saw how PM Modi was made to campaign across Karnataka during the assembly poll like he was campaigning for a municipality election and, despite that, the results for the BJP were devastating. Modi’s confidence is seriously dented and that is why he has taken this step,” he added.

Karnataka BJP spokesperson Capt Ganesh Karnik said unlike the assembly election, where Modi travelled extensively in the state, he might not be able to do so this time as it is a national election.

“The idea is to re-energise the entire cadre from north to south. This visit will get the party cadre to jump into election mode and cover two important regions of the state,” he said.

The BJP said the speeches by Modi in Kalaburagi and Shimoga will have strong messaging for the opposition as well, especially in the background of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA).