Will GaddiGoudar of BJP retain Bagalkot for fifth time ?

Bagalkote: The Bagalkot Lok Sabha constituency, historically a stronghold for the BJP, is gearing up for a keenly contested battle in the upcoming elections. The Congress, eyeing an opportunity to break the BJP's dominance, has fielded Samyukta Patil, daughter of Minister Sivananda Patil, against sitting MP PC Gaddigowdar, who is seeking re-election for the fifth time.

Gaddigowdar, banking on his track record of development work, organizational strength, and the Modi wave, is confident of retaining the seat. In the 2019 elections, Gaddigowdar secured his fourth consecutive win with 6,64,638 votes against Veena Kashappan from Congress, who managed 4,96,451 votes out of 10,78,805 total votes cast.

On the other hand, Samyukta Patil is relying on the Congress party's charisma and her father's influence as the District In-charge to swing the votes in her favour. The Bagalkot Lok Sabha constituency comprises seven assembly constituencies: Hunagunda, Badami, Bagalkote, Bilagi, Mudhola, Jamkhandi, and Theradala, along with Naragunda from Gadag district. The Lingayat community holds significant sway in this Lok Sabha seat, while Kurubas, SC-ST communities, and minority voters also play a crucial role in the electoral outcome.

In the 2009 elections, Gaddigowdar from the BJP secured victory against JT Patil from Congress with 4,13,272 votes to 3,77,826 votes, respectively, out of the total 8,59,928 votes cast.

In 2014, Gaddigowdar faced tough competition from Ajeyakumar Saranayaka (Congress), Ravi Hunshyala (JDS), and independent candidate Shankar Bidari, a retired police officer. Gaddigowdar emerged victorious with 5,71,548 votes, followed by Congress with 4,54,988 votes, JDS with 7,237 votes, and retired DGP Shankar Bidari losing his deposit with 10,959 votes.

Shankar Bidari, a popular retired police officer from Rabkavi Banahatti, faced a significant defeat in this election. Despite his aspirations for a Congress party ticket, Bidari contested as an independent candidate and managed to secure negligible votes, despite his lavish campaign efforts.

Since many decades the Bagalkot Lok Sabha seat has alternated between Congress, JDU, JDS, and BJP candidates. With Gaddigowdar seeking a fifth term, the BJP is banking on his proven track record and the appeal of Narendra Modi's leadership to secure another victory. The Congress, however, is leaving no stone unturned to woo the voters by leveraging caste dynamics, power equations, and other factors. Yet, considering Gaddigowdar’ s accomplishments over his four terms and the broader national sentiment favouring Modi's leadership, the voters appear confident in re-electing him for a fifth term. The stage is set for an intense electoral battle as both parties vie for supremacy in this crucial constituency.