A bastion lost for Congress and Kharge
KALABURAGI: It was a day of disbelief for Congress workers in Kalaburagi district. Veteran leader Mallikarjuna Kharge’s defeat came as a huge shock, with the party also failing to retain Chincholi assembly segment in the bypolls. Kharge and the Congress have lost hold over the district, that has been the party’s bastion for decades. In fact, the party did not win a single seat in Hyderabad-Karnatak region.
Kharge, who had won 11 elections consecutively — nine assembly and two Lok Sabha — lost to BJP’s Dr Umesh Jadhav, who quit Congress and joined BJP just before the LS polls were announced. Jadhav’s son Dr Avinash Jadhav won the assembly by-election from Chincholi.
The Modi factor, state president B S Yeddyurappa’s influence over Lingayats and Jadhav’s connect with the Lambanis worked for the BJP, while Kharge was fighting almost a lone battle after many senior Congress leaders deserted the party for BJP. Congress, which has a strong base in the district, was suddenly facing a big void in terms of second-rung leaders. All those who left the party, including Jadhav, accused Kharge of promoting his son, Priyank Kharge. BJP used the situation to its advantage. Issues in Gulbarga Lok Sabha and Chincholi assembly elections were almost the same.
According to Prof Chandrakant Yatnoor of the political science department in Gulbarga University, the Modi wave resulted in Kharge’s defeat, besides the allegation that he was promoting his son. Kharge’s defeat in a big setback for Congress in Hyderabad-Karnatak, as BJP has gained a strong foothold in the Lingayat heartland. This is the second time BJP has won the LS seat after 1998.
KPCC secretary C B Patil Okly said it is a clear message that Congress should not be the party of a few people, but become a ‘people’s party’.
On Thursday, Kharge did not come to the counting centre, while the BJP man was present from the beginning. Kharge was in his residence ‘Lumbini’ till he got information that he was trailing, following which he rushed to the District Congress party office.