In a constituency dominated by Panchamasali Lingayat and Muslim voters, a candidate belonging to Sadu (Sadar) Lingayat community has been able to win three times in a row and is now seeking a fourth term. That is Shiggaon Assembly constituency in Haveri district, the home turf of Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai.
The constituency, once a bastion of the Congress, has not been with the party ever since Mr. Bommai, then a member of the Janata Dal (United), joined the Bharatiya Janata Party to become its candidate in 2008. Since then, there has been no looking back for Mr. Bommai, who first became a Minister and then Chief Minister.
Muslim population
The sizeable Muslim population has resulted in the constituency being represented by Muslim candidates on four occasions and also in Muslim candidates getting a high vote share. That explains the rationale behind the Congress fielding Muslim candidates in most elections so far.
The Congress had fielded Sayed Azeempeer Khadri four times in a row from 2004 when he first lost to Independent candidate Rajashekhar Sindhur. In 2008, 2013, and 2018 elections, Mr. Khadri lost to Mr. Bommai.
This time, instead of Mr. Khadri, the Congress first chose to field Mohammed Yusuf Savanur, president of the Anjuman-E-Islam in Hubballi, only to replace him with Yasir Ahmed Khan Pathan. And Mr. Khadri, who is reportedly upset, is likely to remain neutral. Although the BJP government’s decision to remove Muslims from the 2B category of the OBC list may go against the party, Mr. Bommai’s personal rapport with Muslim organisations may enable him to sail through. The AAP too has fielded a Muslim candidate.
Panchamasali factor
No doubt, the demand by the Lingayat-Panchamasali community for inclusion under the 2A category had become a tricky issue for Mr. Bommai as the community members made his residence their venue of agitation regularly. But the government’s decision to carve out the 2D category for all Lingayats, including Panchamasalis, has resulted in the agitation being suspended. However, not all are happy with it.
In fact, the State Congress had earlier mooted the idea of fielding Panchamasali leader Vinay Kulkarni opposite Mr. Bommai, which, however, did not materialise as the former preferred his constituency, Dharwad.
Probably to exploit the Panchamasali factor, the Janata Dal (Secular) has fielded Shashidhar Eligar, who otherwise would have contested as an Independent. Mr. Eligar has made a mark in the constituency because of the social initiatives he undertook and is reportedly banking on them. He is unlikely to raise the Panchamasali issue during the elections, but the caste factor may help him make a dent in the BJP’s vote share.
Multiple trips, emotional appeal
Probably rattled by the Panchamasali factor, Mr. Bommai has made umpteen trips to his constituency in the last few months prior to initiating and inaugurating various projects. He also made all-out efforts to get the blessings of seers of both Harihara and Kudalasangama peethas. He has also been making emotional speeches to woo the voters.
