The countdown for Lok Sabha election has started. Congress leaders and workers are in a state of confusion as the party has not yet finalised its candidate for Haveri constituency.
It is learnt that allotment of seat to a minority candidate either in Haveri or Dharwad is the main cause for delay in announcing the candidature. Former MLC Saleem Ahmed and former Gadag MLA D R Patil are both lobbying for the ticket.
Haveri parliamentary constituency was earlier with Dharwad South constituency. It has been a Congress stronghold as the party has won 12 times in the last 15 General Elections held so far.
Interestingly, Congress won eleven elections continuously from 1952 to 1996. First-time Lok Shakti candidate B M Menasinkai defeated Congress candidate in 1998 and regained it in 1999. BJP has first time won the seat in 2004 and retained it in the 2009 election.
Congress nominee F H Mohasin was elected to Lok Sabha from the constituency consecutively for five times from 1962 to 1980. T R Nesvi, B M Mujahid, I G Sanadi of Congress won two times each, Aziz Sait (Congress) B M Menasinkai (Lok Shakati), Manjunath Kunnur (BJP) and Shivakumar Udasi BJP have won the election one time each. In the first General Election held in 1952 (when it was under Bombay province), Congress candidate Thimmappa Rudrappa Nesvi defeated Kissan Mazadoor Praja party candidate Siddappa Hosmani.
Nesvi retained the seat in 1957 by defeating Independent candidate K S Patil.
But Nesvi, who contested from Praja Socialist Party, lost to Congress candidate F H Mohasin in 1967 and Mohasin retained the seat till 1980. In 1984, Congress’ Aziz Sait won the seat by defeating Janata Party candidate Abdul Nazeersab.
Congress candidate B M Mujahid won the seat in 1989 by defeating Janata Dal candidate B G Banakar. Once again, Mujahid retained the seat in 1991 by defeating BJP candidate B G Banakar. In 1996, Congress candidate I G Sanadi won the seat by defeating Janata Dal candidate B M Menasinkai, but in 1998, Sanadi was defeated by Lokshakati candidate Menasinkai.
Congress candidate Sanadi second time won the seat by defeating JD (U) candidate Menasinkai. BJP’s Manjunath Kunnur won the election in 2004 by defeating Congress candidate Sanadi. Haveri Lok Sabha constituency came into being in 2008 after the delimitation of constituencies. In the 2009 election, BJP’s Shivakumar Udasi won the seat by defeating Saleem Ahmed of Congress with a margin of over 87,920 votes.
The constituency has eight Assembly constituencies. Congress has seven MLAs while KJP (now merged with BJP) has one MLA. Congress is making all efforts to win the election by fielding three-time MLA D R Patil against sitting MP and Shivakumar Udasi (BJP).