Marked by hot summers and harsh droughts, Raichur is one of the most backward Lok Sabha constituencies in the State. Despite having two major rivers of South India — the Krishna and the Tungabhadra, large-scale seasonal migration to bigger cities has become an integral part of rural life here. Though it has lost its glory of having Asia’s second largest cotton market [in Raichur] surrounded by large tracts of cotton fields, cotton still continues to be a major crop in the constituency as its black soil is ideal for the crop.
Housing two State-owned mega thermal power stations — Raichur Thermal Power Station and Yermarus Thermal Power Station, the constituency significantly contributes to the energy needs of the State that is heavily dependent on thermal energy.
Thanks to the Tungabhadra Reservoir near Hosapete that irrigates, through its Left Bank Canal, around six lakhs acres of land in Koppal and Raichur districts, Raichur, along with its neighbouring cities and towns such as Sindhanur, Gangavathi and Karatagi, offers several rice brands that are popular in Bengaluru and Hyderabad.
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Kadechur Rail Coach Factory in Yadgir district, which was sanctioned by the United Progressive Alliance government when M. Mallikarjun Kharge was Railway Minister and later inaugurated by the National Democratic Alliance government, is another landmark of the constituency.
Raichur constituency has been traditionally a Congress stronghold. Of the 16 elections held here, the Congress has won 13, leaving the seat for Independent candidate R.V. Nayak in 1967, Janata Dal (Raja Rangappa Naik) in 1996 and BJP (Sanna Pakkirappa) in 2009. The influence of secular movements such as Sharana and Dasa traditions, the poor presence of right wing forces led by the RSS and a concentration of Muslim population due to the fact that it was part of the erstwhile Hyderabad Nizam State before Independence are among the factors that have prevented the BJP from wresting the seat from the Congress.
However, the equations have significantly changed in the last decade. Right wing forces have successfully made inroads into the region. In 2009, Sanna Pakkirappa, a close aide of B. Sriramulu, won the seat with the strong support of the Ballari mining barons. In the 2018 Assembly polls, the saffron party performed better than the Congress by bagging four of the eight Assembly segments — Raichur, Deodurg, Shorapur and Yadgir — leaving three for the Congress — Raichur Rural, Lingsugur and Shahapur and one for the Janata Dal(S) — Manvi.
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This time, the BJP has fielded Raja Amareshwara Naik, a descendant of the Guntagol Palegars, to take on the Congress candidate and Lok Sabha member B.V. Naik. What initially appeared as a cakewalk for the Congress candidate has now turned out to be a tight fight.
In 2014, B.V. Naik was better placed. He had his father Venkatesh Naik who had earlier represented the constituency four times in the Lok Sabha. The Special Status to Hyderabad Karnataka offered by the United Progressive Alliance government under Article 371(J) was a great morale booster for him. The kindness of his father and the great expectations of Article 371(J) helped him withstand the aggressive campaigning by his BJP rival and relative K. Shivanagouda Naik and the sweeping Mode wave to register a victory with a thin margin of just 1,499 votes.
However, 2019 is not easy for him. The death of his father in an accident, the initial hype that Article 371(J) triggered losing its sheen with time, his “poor attention to people’s grievances”, particularly in Shahapur, Surpur and Yadgir segments, his failure to build his own cadre base and, more importantly, the disunity and groupism within the district Congress unit, particularly the rivalry between N.S. Boseraju and A. Vasanth Kumar camps, have put him in a hostile condition. The discontent of the Kuruba community over the denial of Congress ticket to K. Virupakshappa, a Kuruba leader in the region, to contest from neighbouring Koppal segment, may also contribute its part negatively. Satish Jarkiholi, a Congress strongman and a relative of B.V. Naik, paying little attention to Raichur as compared to his previous interventions due to his own engagements in Belagavi politics, is another blow for him.
On the other hand, Raja Amareshwar Naik has gained from his rival’s negative points. Being an unanimous candidate from within the BJP, he enjoys the support of all party leaders and cadre in the constituency. Hailing from a former Palegar family, he enjoys considerable support in the Lingsugur area. The cordial relationship that his family maintained with the neighbouring Surapura (Shorapur) Palegaras that has a good influence in Surpur and Shahapur would also help him considerably. Senior Congressman A.B. Maalakaraddi quitting the Congress and joining the BJP is also expected to help him get a better vote share in the Yadgir segment. The undeniable Modi wave present among the upper caste youth is an additional advantage to him.