KALABURAGI: A high-octane campaign for the May 19 byelection to Chincholi (SC) assembly constituency came to an end on Friday as Congress and BJP leaders made a final push.
Seventeen candidates are in the fray. Both Congress and BJP candidates belong to the Lambani community. While Avinash Jadhav of BJP is pursuing post-graduation in Medicine, Congress candidate Subhash Rathod has a post-graduation in Law.
The seat fell vacant after Umesh Jadhav who won on a Congress ticket in the 2013 and 2018 elections resigned from the assembly and joined the BJP in March this year alleging that the development activities have come to a standstill in Chincholi after the coalition government came to power.
He blamed district in-charge minister Priyank Kharge for it. Jadhav contested the Lok Sabha polls this time from Gulbarga taking on Congress veteran Mallikarjun Kharge. As per Jadhav’s wish, BJP fielded his son Avinash.
Rathod who was in BJP and an aspirant for the Lok Sabha ticket from Gulbarga quit the party and joined Congress after he as was assured that he would be fielded from Chincholi.
The poll turned into a battle of prestige for both Congress and BJP. Determined to retain the seat, the Congress made all-out efforts to win this time too. Former CM and party state unit president B S Yeddyurappa led the BJP’s campaign while Congress leaders Siddaramaiah, Parameshwara and Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy campaigned for the Congress candidate.
In the Lok Sabha elections, BJP harped on Mallikarjun Kharge’s role in making his son Priyank minister, while Congress chose Umesh Jadhav’s nepotism in ensuring that his son was fielded in Chincholi and betraying the voters by quitting the MLA post without consulting the voters as the main planks.
Some Congress leaders admit that party netas and the candidate failed to campaign in the thandas and villages while BJP concentrated in holding road shows there.
According to a survey, the constituency has about 50,000 voters belonging to Lingayat community, 48,000 Lambani community, 30,000 from Dalit community (including Right and Left).
BJP leaders claim the support of Banjaras and Lingayats. Kolis are committed voters of BJP. Congress disputes the claim and says that a section of Lambanis, Lingayats and Koli community will vote in their favour.