In the last 10 Lok Sabha elections in Davangere constituency, only candidates from two communities have managed to taste success. Candidates of Lingayat community won the elections a record seven times while Kurubas have won three times.Lingayats amount to over 4.25 lakh voters, Kurubas 2.60 lakh, Muslims 1.80 lakh, Scheduled Castes over two lakh and OBCs, around 1.75 lakh.
In 1977, Congress’ Kondajji Basappa (Sadhu Lingayat) defeated K G Maheshwarappa who belonged to the same community and in 1980, T V Chandrashekarappa (Sadhu Lingayat) defeated Kondajji Basappa of Janata Party. In 1984, the Congress decided to field Kuruba leader Guruji Chennaiah Odeyar against Maheshwarappa of Janata Dal. Odeyar won the elections. In 1996, BJP fielded Mallikarjunappa (Sadhu Lingayat) against S H Patel (Banajiga sub-caste in Lingayat). Patel was defeated and in 1998, Shivashankarappa of Congress (Sadhu Lingayat) defeated Mallikarjunappa. In 1999, Mallikarjunappa won against Shivashankarappa.In the 2004 and 2009 elections, G M Siddeshwar, won. He is contesting for a third time and is pitted against S S Mallikarjun and Mahima Patel (Banajiga (panchamasali-community).