Direct fight between Congress, BJP in Kalaburagi North constituency

Kalaburagi: Kalaburagi North Constituency has the highest number of voters in the district. Majority of Muslim votes are decisive here. After the reorganisation of constituencies in 2008, the candidate of the Congress party. won continuously. Former MLA,late Qamarul Islam's family has been gaining control. This time too, the Congress has devised a strategy to achieve victory. However, BJP and other parties have devised a counter strategy for dominance.

Qamarul Islam, who had represented the Kalaburgi Assembly Constituency for decades, also served as minister under former chief ministers in S.M. Krishna and Siddaramaiah cabinet. Qamarul Islam, who was elected six times as an MLA and once as an MP, served as Minister for Housing, Labour, Small Industries and Minorities.

In 2008, Kalaburagi Assembly Constituency was split into North-South Constituency. After the North Constituency came into being, Qamarul Islam became an MLA in this constituency in 2008 and 2013. After his death due to a heart attack in 2017, his wife Khaneez Fatima entered politics. She contested the 2018 election as a Congress candidate and won and became the MLA.

For the second time Khaneez Fatima has been fielded by the leaders of Congress. BJP's candidate Chandu Patil, who came close to victory last time and accepted defeat, has been trying to get closer to the voters by moving around the constituency for five years non-stop after the election.

However, BJP candidate Chandu Patil is showing signs of rebellion. There are rumours that party leader Shivkantha Mahajan, a first-class contractor who was a strong aspirant for the BJP ticket in the North Constituency, will enter the fray as a rebel candidate after not getting a ticket. Once he enters the arena, he will put his hands on the Hindu vote basket. Of course, political thinkers are saying that there is a possibility of Chandu Patil getting a little setback.

This time also Nasir Hussain Ustad has entered the fray from JDS. Nasir Hussain, an influential leader of the Muslim community is active in the field. Although the JDS base is not that much in the constituency, Nasir is contesting the election by risking his personal charisma.

In the 2018 elections, Nasir Hussain was ranked third in the polls. Similarly, former Deputy Mayor Syed Sajja Ali Inamadar has entered the fray from Aam Aadmi Party. SDPI and KRS party have also fielded candidates in this constituency. AIMIM and Left parties are expected to field their candidates.

Political analysts are of the opinion that all the candidates of this party will put their hands on the Congress votes. Kalaburagi North Constituency has a total of 3,00,493 voters out of which 1,49,840 are male and 1,50,653 are female. whole Constituency is in metropolitan area. Ward No. 1 to 30 wards of Kalaburagi Mahanagara Palika come under this constituency.In the 2018 election, congress Party candidate Khaneez Fatima got 64,311 votes and BJP candidate Chandu Patil got 58,371 votes. Khaneez Fatima has won by a margin of 5,940 votes.