A major electoral battle is expected in Dharwad, the home turf of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) State unit president Pralhad Johi.
While the Congress has fielded Dharwad MLA Vinay Kulkarni as its candidate for the Lok Sabha election, Mr. Joshi is looking forward to score a hat-trick. This is the first parliamentary election for Mr. Kulkarni.
Well-known for its cultural and literary heritage, the constituency is a mix of Malnad and arid regions. Urban issues dominate elections as 51 per cent of the voters here are urbanites.
Road-widening and city beautification works during the BJP regime did not help attract investment here. The IT Park in Hubli is yet to be utilised to its maximum capacity. The Hubli airport expansion project led to a controversy following the BJP government’s decision to distribute some portion of the land acquired for the project to private firms. The matter is being inquired by the Lokayukta.
Drinking water supply continues to be a major problem. Alongside is the issue of Kalasa Banduri Nala project, which was to provide 7.5 tmcft of water to the Malaprabha reservoir for supplying drinking water to Hubli-Dahrwad and several villages.
Dharwad has remained the stronghold of the BJP since 1996, when its candidate Vijay Sankeshwar won the election benefiting from the Idgah Maidan issue. Mr. Joshi won for the first time in 2004. In the 2009 election, he defeated Manjunath Kunnur of the Congress with a margin of 1,37,663 votes.
Prior to 1996, Congress stalwarts D.P. Karamkar (in 1952 and 1957), Sarojini Mahishi (from 1962-77) and D.K. Naikar (from 1982-91) won from here. Of the eight Assembly segments in the constituency, the BJP retained three — Hubli-Dharwad Central, Hubli-Dharwad West and Shiggaon; Congress won in Kundagol, Kalghatagi, Dharwad and Hubli-Dharwad East in the 2013 elections. Navalgund seat went to the JD(S). Congress is expecting a repetition of the Assembly election results.
Mr. Joshi is depending on “Modi wave” this time. The former Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa’s homecoming is a positive sign for Mr. Joshi. Mr. Kulkarni, a Panchamsali Lingayat, is a two-time MLA with considerable clout in the rural areas and his community.
