Karnataka West Graduates poll: Straight fight on the cards

The election to Karnataka West Graduates constituency seems to be heading towards a straight fight between an incumbent MLC and an ex-MLC. The two major political parties — BJP and Congress — have fielded candidates. Janata Dal(Secular), an ally of the BJP. has not fielded a candidate.

The incumbent MLC — Professor S.V. Sankanur of BJP — is seeking a third term. He is being challenged by advocate and former MLC Mohan Limbikai, formerly a BJP leader who has been fielded by the Congress.

The Congress leaders have managed to pacify rebel candidate Professor R.M. Kuberappa. He had contested on a Congress ticket in the 2020 election. He was dismayed over being denied the ticket this time. Prof. Kuberappa is also a former BJP leader. Earlier, he had contested twice unsuccessfully on a BJP ticket. In 2016, he turned rebel in Karnataka West Teachers constituency, and then contested on a Congress ticket on a changed turf (Graduates constituency) in 2020.

Basavaraj Gurikar, a functionary of All India Primary Teachers’ Federation (AIPTF), who contested as an independent in the last election, is now in the Congress camp. The CPI(M) has appealed for votes in favour of Mr. Limbikai.

Congress bastion earlier

The constituency was once a Congress bastion. Former Minister and Congress leader H.K. Patil won the seat four times in a row. In 2008, the BJP fielded Mohan Limbikai, then a political greenhorn. Mr. Limbikai ended the unbeaten run of Mr. Patil.

Later, in the changed political scenario, Mr. Limbikai resigned from the Council in 2013 to unsuccessfully contest the Assembly election as a candidate of B.S. Yediyurappa’s KJP. Although Mr. Limbikai returned to the BJP following in the footsteps of his leader Mr. Yediyurappa, in 2014, the BJP chose Prof. S.V. Sankanur to contest against Vasant Horatti, son of former minister Basavaraj Horatti.

Prof. Sankanur managed to convert the sympathy for him (for having lost three elections against Mr. Horatti in Teachers’ constituency) and anti-Horatti sentiments into votes. He registered a win with a record margin of over 14,000 votes.

In the 2020 poll, Prof. Sankanur contested against his friend-turned-foe Prof. R.M. Kuberappa. He registered his second consecutive win, albeit with a reduced margin of 11,409 votes.

Like the Congress, BJP too faced rebellion from aspiring candidates, but has managed to pacify them. Although Mr. Sankanur managed to get the party ticket, he has the task of winning over his rivals within the party along with retaining his vote base.

BJP leaders have gone all out to retain the seat while Congress leaders too campaigned extensively to win back what was once their bastion. Union Minister Pralhad Joshi, former chief minister Basavaraj Bommai, and a host of other leaders, including State unit president B.Y. Vijayendra, campaigned campaigning extensively. The campaign of the Congress party was led by KPCC president B.K. Hariprasad, a bunch of ministers, and former minister H.K. Patil.

Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar too made an appeal in Hubballi seeking votes for Mr. Limbikai.

Although a graduates’ constituency, teachers constitute a big chunk of the electorate. Candidates have been trying their best to woo them.

In all, 14 candidates are in the fray, including Kanthakumar R., the State unit president of the All Karnataka State Students’ Association (AKSSA). He is trying to convert the support he received during the recent protests by job-seekers in Dharwad into votes. He is seeking votes to represent youths in the Council.

The polling is scheduled for October 23.