North Karnataka: Friends-turned-foes make it tough for BJP

Bengaluru: The BJP is going to face a litmus test in the 2023 state assembly elections in the north Karnataka region considered its bastion. Fingers are crossed over how the people of this region would react to the saffron partys experiments.

The voters of the region played a major role in elevating the BJP to power by rallying behind former chief minister B.S. Yediyurappa who was asked to step down. The latest episodes of the exit of former CM Jagadish Shettar and Laxman Savadi, both Lingayat leaders, who are claiming humiliation by BJP leaders and joined the Congress party have forced the ruling party to do fire fighting.

North Karnataka, comprising both Kittur and Kalyan Karnataka regions, has 13 districts with 90 assembly seats. Presently the BJP holds 52 seats, the Congress 32 and the JD (S) 6 seats.

The region comprises Belagavi, Bagalkot, Bijapur, Kalaburagi, Yadgir, Gadag, Dharwad, Haveri, Bidar, Raichur, Koppal, Vijayanagar and Bellary districts. There is a direct fight between the Congress and the BJP in most of the places. The JD (S) is hopeful of garnering seats in double digits.

The BJP is facing a challenge from the Kalyan Karnataka Rajya Paksha (KKRP) launched by mining baron-turned-politician Janardhan Reddy. The BJP has maintained a distance from him following allegations against him, leading to his exit from the party.