With less than a week left before Karnataka votes in the election to its 224-seat assembly, the indianexpress.com will be covering three constituencies from the ground on Monday as part of its ongoing coverage of the state. Aaron Pereira and Vishnu Varma will be visiting Udupi, Dharwad and Hubli to track the local issues and their significance in the upcoming polls.
For highlights from our on ground coverage on May 5 from Badami, one of the two seats from where Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiahâs is contesting the May 12 elections, click here
Earlier this week, Vishnu Varma also travelled to Mangalore to gauge the mood on the ground, while Aaron Pereira visited Kankumbi village which has been at the receiving end of the Mhadei water dispute.
Track PM Modi and Rahul Gandhi’s Karnataka campaign trail (Interactive graph may take some time to load)
The electorate is clear about one thing -- incumbent MLA Prasad Abbayya has delivered. Shopkeepers, residents, and roadside vendors all agree that in the last five years this constituency has changed for the better. Residents, especially in the Old Hubli part of the constituency, say that a few years ago the area was a mess. There was no proper drainage, toilets were few and roads were in a very bad shape.
However, while Abbayya does have the popular vote, there is a certain amount of support for BJP's Chandrashekhar Gokak, especially among the Lingayat community in the constituency. What doesn't work in his favour though, is three-fold: he is relatively unknown to the people in the constituency; he doesn't belong to the BJP and has been air-dropped from the RSS, and thirdly there is a lot of heartburn in the BJP over him getting the ticket. Sources in the party say the decision to give him the ticket was delayed and they lost out on time to campaign. Moreover, not many in the party are happy about the decision to give him the ticket.
How it all unfolds we will know on May 15.
If only things were so easy to predict. What we can safely conclude is that it is a fight between the Congress and the BJP with the smaller parties only looking to slash votes from either side. The Shiv Sena could bite a bit from the BJP (not much) and the JD(S) could eat into the Congress. 50-50 is what the voters say which means it is actually that close. This shouldn't have been a close election for the Congress MLA and Fisheries Minister Pramod Madhwaraj who had coasted to a phenomenal victory in 2013 by 39000+ votes. But the fact is that the BJP is giving him a very tough fight and could even entertain the idea of winning.
Everywhere I ask, voters say the government's performance is not bad suggesting not a lot of anti-incumbency. How then, do these battles like in Udupi get so close? When I ask Congress leaders the number of seats they hope to win, the answer is always the same - 120+. But 120+ is not a three-fourths majority or even a two-thirds majority. It is just over the mark. So if they did fantastic work, which the people accept, shouldn't they be getting more seats? Food for thought.
That's why I think this is a very intriguing and very, very close election. (Reports Vishnu Varma from Udupi)
JD(S) Udupi district president Yogish Shetty said although his party may have been weak in the region in the past, it's not anymore. 'We have made the organisation strong in Udupi, we have given responsibility to booth-level leaders and we are looking to win all the five seats in the district. While we are contesting on 4 seats, the fifth one - Karkala has been given to our ally the BSP,' he said. On who his party will support in case of a hung House, he said, 'We are not supporting anyone. Both parties are the same. We are winning 113 seats or more. HD Kumaraswamy will be the CM,' he said. (Report by Vishnu Varma from Udupi)
None of the ten households in Kidiyur has a toilet. The reason councillors or local politicians give: it's a stone quarry area so pits can't be dug.
Two toilets, constructed by the panchayat, are all the families of the ten households have. But they all maintain that they do not openly defecate. And what about power issues? They get 24x7 electricity out of which 3 days, they experience power cuts for as long as eight hours. With the sun blazing at 40 degrees Celsius, one can imagine how people live here. (Report by Vishnu Varma from Udupi)
As one travels further and further away from the main town of Udupi towards the coastal and agrarian areas, civic issues get pronounced. For example in Kidiyur in Ambalpady panchayat, ten households get water once in two days. The water from the panchayat come for just two hours during which the residents need to fill their buckets and tanks. For if they snooze, they don't get water for the next 48 hours. Vanaja Sreenivas, 50, has four members including herself in the family for which the water is certainly not sufficient. She shies away when asked which party she will vote for. 'Gottilla' (don't know), she murmurs in Kannada. (Report by Vishnu Varma from Udupi)
Prime Minister Modi addressed a massive rally in Hubli on Sunday and attacked the Congress CM over his superstitions, Modi said that his government talks of a new India and new Karnataka, the incumbent CM Siddaramaiah believes in superstitions. The Congress is facing an uphill task in Hubli ahead of polls, with the BJP bringing its top campaigners into the state.
In August 1994, Hubli saw its worst phase -- a Hindu-Muslim riot over hoisting the National Flag at the Idgah Maidan. Farooq, who owns a welding shop says of those days: "There was complete curfew. People were killed. Nobody could step out without fear. But since then we have resolved to never let such a thing happen again. We are just used to fulfil political agendas. Hindus and Muslims now live peacefully. We don't let comments made by politicians escalate. We choose to ignore them and move on. The moment you react, there is tension. Also, why do they keep bringing up Pakistan and Jinnah? Who speaks about him here. He wanted to divide the country. We would have been better if we weren't divided, living as one country. There wouldn't be such a divide."
Adline Karkad and her husband Immanuel Karkad operate a small general store near the beach in Malpe. 'You know I was an ex-councillor of the Congress party from ward number 3. For 30 years, I did everything for the party. After my first term ended in 2001, I asked for a ticket on the basis of my good work done in the area. A leader told me, if I can fall at his feet and hold his leg, they will give me a ticket' she says.'I felt so bad. My husband was not here, he was abroad, I refused. Somebody else got the ticket and then that person left the party to join the BJP, imagine,' she says in a mix of Kannada and Hindi. Adline feels she was not given her due in the party even after she worked so hard. 'Congress doesn't respect its workers. So three months agoIme and my son joined the BjP,' she says.'I am a big fan of Modi. We went for his rally in Udupi, but it was so crowded so we came back. Tell Modi to call me. I want to tell what a big fan I am of him,' she adds.Adline and her husband in Malpe. (Express Photo by Vishnu Verma)
BD Walikar has a unique take on how the city has changed. A retired KSRTC mechanic, he says mileage of buses has improved and maintenance costs have come down thanks to the good roads in the state. "Measure how the state has got better by looking at the quality of roads and the amount saved in repairs." Retired KSRTC mechanic BD Walikar. (Express Photo by Aaron Pereira)
Shivanand Byahatti runs a medical store near Siddarudha Matha junction in Old Hubli. His is the last store before the constituency ends and Hubli west begins.
On Sunday, Shivanand went to see Prime Minister Narendra Modi at a rally in railway grounds. “He is a very good speaker. The political mood here could change now. Even though Gokak is a new face, people will vote keeping Modi in mind.” Shivanand says even though he is a BJP supporter, it would be hard to deny that Abbayya has done work. “He has changed the way this place used to be. There’s better drainage and roads. He has used funds for the people especially in slum areas.” When asked if the Lingayat discourse would help the Congress, Shivanand said his community was rallying behind the BJP.
Shivanand Byahatti (Express photo by Aaron Pereira)
Dayanand Shetty has been living in Hubli for the last 35 years. Back home in Dakshin Kannada, he has a farm that he says is well irrigated. The on-going Mahadayi crisis, he says, should have been resolved by now as it is about drinking water for people. Soon there will be shortfall of water here. Shetty says politics over the water dispute is shameful. “How could Sonia Gandhi, when she was party chief, say no water would be diverted to Karnataka? Isn’t Congress in other states too? Was she the Goa Congress chief? Farmers here decide which way the election will swing. And they shouldn’t be taken for granted. Politicians shouldn’t use communities like a football — kicking them around.”
Karnataka has demanded that the Mahadayi river, which originates flows into Goa from the Bhimgad wildlife sanctuary, be diverted so that 7.56 TMC of drinking water can be supplied to the Belgaum, Hubli - Dharwad region of the state. Goa has opposed it saying the river, known as Mandovi in that state, is a lifeline to almost half the population and any reduction would cost it dearly.
Dayanand Shetty (Express photo by Aaron Pereira)
The BJP alleges that most of Udupi's rural areas are starving for drinking water. There is also a big problem of sand mafia and lack of healthcare facilities.
Local journalists say Congress candidate Pramod Madhwaraj had a strong chance of winning in Udupi until he reportedly expressed a wish to join the BJP. Madhwaraj apparently said the gate to enter BJP is locked for him and that somebody was deliberately blocking the way. BJP Udupi district president M Ratnakar Hegde said that Pramod has "tried his level best to join the BJP." "He even approached the top leadership. But we didn't take him because for the last five years, our workers have been fighting against him. Our party workers will not be happy if we take him,' he said.
BJP Udupi district president M Ratnakar Hegde (Express photo by Vishnu Varma)
Since 1957, Gurunath Garwad has been running a flour mill shop in Old Hubli. He says his first salary, after completing an ITI course from BVB college, was Rs 1.50. That was way back in 1965. After working in various companies including Kirloskar and Honda, he has come back to run his mill saying there is too much dishonesty in city life. Asked about the upcoming elections, he quickly shoots back: “There is nothing left today. After the death of LB Shastri, India hasn’t seen a good, honest politician.” Garwad, who belongs to the SC community, says there is too much discrimination and the rich-poor divide is only increasing. “Think of it as a family. Our politicians are like the head of the family. They make lots of money, drink alcohol, buy nice cars. But what good is all of that if their own family members are struggling for food? Shouldn’t they care?”
Gurunath Garwad (Express photo by Aaron Pereira)
Meanwhile, we are also running an extensive coverage of the political campaigning taking place in the state, in the run-up to polls. Keep a track of Amit Shah's public gathering, Rahul Gandhi's rally in Karnataka here
Whisper from the ground: In Udupi, IndianExpress.com's Vishnu Varma is hearing a whisper that even if the BJP wins a simple majority or forms a coalition government with JD(S), BS Yeddyurappa will not become the chief minister. This time, the party is not likely to take a chance with a leader who still carries a fair amount of baggage. Any of the cases could come back to haunt him blocking his way to the CM's chair. Age is also a factor that's working against him. In such a scenario, the party may go in for a Hindutva leader like Ananthkumar Hegde or RSS strongman BL Santhosh who is considered eyeing the CM's post.
BJP leader B S Yeddyurappa
Congress MLA Abbayya Prasad's office in Hubli wears a deserted look. “Everyone has gone door-to-door campaigning. We have to do better in areas where BJP has a stronger presence,” a party worker says. Prasad faces a tough competition from BJP's Chandrashekhar Gokak, a former bank employee and an RSS worker.
Congress MLA Abbayya Prasad's office in Hubli (Express photo by Aaron Pereira)
The centuries-old Sri Krishna Mutt, plays an overarching influence on the people in Udupi. The Palimar Mutt currently administers the Krishna temple
Sri Krishna Temple (Express photo by Vishnu Varma)
Palimar mutt (Express photo by Vishnu Varma)
Mustaq Khatib, runs a brick store in Old Hubli. He says much of Old Hubli has changed over the last three years. “If you had come here 3 years ago, you would see sewage overflowing. There was no place to walk. We now have a new pipeline for us. Work is complete for 24x7 water supply.” He also says that the Swachch Bharat scheme has helped residents here get toilets installed in their homes. “It makes a huge difference especially for those living in slum areas who had to defecate in the open earlier.”
Mustaq Khatib (Express photo by Aaron Pereira)
While the shortage of drinking water especially in the summers, and the lack of a proper drainage system, are said to be the major issues in the urban area, the coastal community in the Malpe area have their own set of woes. In a straight Congress vs BJP contest, where both parties have strong leaders and organisations, voters are undecided.
The Congress has fielded Pramod Madhwaraj, the Minister for Fisheries and Sports, who won here last time with a big margin of 39000 votes. The BJP's candidate is K Raghupathi Bhat, who won from Udupi in 2008. The JD(S) candidate is Gandgadhar Birthi. The Shiv Sena, which is at daggers drawn with BJP at the Centre and in Maharashtra, interestingly also has a candidate here.
Hubli Dharwad district has seven assembly constituencies. In 2013, the Congress won four of the seven seats while the BJP won two. The JD(s) won one seat. In Hubli-Dharwad East, where we visit today, the BJP is facing a tough challenge against incumbent Congress MLA Abbayya Prasad. The constituency is reserved for SC candidates.
Prasad, residents here say, has done a lot of work for the minority communities as well as the SC community in the constituency. Close to over 30% of the 1,90,000-odd residents here are Muslim.
The BJP is looking to put behind its infighting over the ticket allotment and work for its candidate Chandrashekhar Gokak, a former bank employee and an RSS worker. The party had delayed announcing who their candidate would be in this seat leaving party workers disappointed as the Congress had already begun its campaign.
The Congress won this seat in the 2013 Karnataka Assembly Elections with a margin of 13,522 votes (12.39%). Prasad secured 38.82% of the total votes polled. There was a turnout of 62.58%. In 2008, the BJP had won with a margin of 12,168 votes.
Udupi, a constituency that falls in the district by the same name, has the speciality of women voters outnumbering their male counterparts. Among the 2.03 lakh voters, more than a lakh are women. Out of the 13 elections fought here, the Congress has been the most successful winning eight times followed by the BJP who won thrice. Although the JD(S) of HD Kumaraswamy has no major influence in this region, they have propped a candidate in Udupi.
The centuries-old Sri Krishna Mutt and the ashta-mutts, founded by Hindu philosopher Madhvacharya, who propagated the dwaita (dualism) branch of Vedanta, plays an overarching influence on the people in Udupi and beyond. The blessings of the seers of the eight mutts are said to be critically important for any political candidate to win here.
As a part of our ongoing coverage of the Karnataka Assembly Elections 2018, IndianExpress.com will today travel to Udupi, Dharwad and Hubli to identify local issues and voters mood. Follow this space to track all the latest developments