scorecardresearch
Thursday, Mar 28, 2024
Advertisement

On the ground in Bhatkal and Davanagere constituencies: Here are the highlights

On the Karnataka election trail: In the run up to the Karnataka Assembly Elections 2018, IndianExpress.com on Tuesday takes you to Bhatkal and Davanagere constituencies. Follow the latest udpates here.

Written by Aaron Pereira , Vishnu Varma
Bhatkal/davanagere | Updated: May 8, 2018 22:56 IST
Karnataka Assembly elections 2018, Bhatkal, Devanagere, Congress, BJP, Narendra Modi, Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi Karnataka Assembly Elections 2018: The main bus stand adjoining the national highway in Bhatkal. In the last days of campaigning, IndianExpress.com on Tuesday travels to Bhatkal and Davanagere constituencies. (Express Photo/Vishnu Varma)

In the last days of campaigning ahead of the Karnataka Assembly Elections 2018, IndianExpress.com on Tuesday travels to Bhatkal and Davanagere constituencies. In our coverage of the elections from the ground, Vishnu Varma and Aaron Pereira have traversed the state in a bid to understand local issues and voter patterns.

Vishnu Varma takes us to Bhatkal today, a constituency in Uttara Kannada district, whose name shot into limelight when the police identified Riyaz and Yasin Bhatkal as founders of the dreaded terrorist outfit Indian Mujahideen. IM has carried out several serial bombings in the country, in cities like Jaipur, Pune, Mumbai, Ahmedabad and Delhi.

Aaron Pereira, meanwhile, makes his way to Davanagere. Once known for its production of cotton, the city, popularly called the ‘Manchester of Karnataka’, is now an educational and agro-processing hub. A stronghold of the Congress, it was picked by the Prime Minister as one of 100 across the country to be developed into a Smart City.

Also read | On the ground in coastal Udupi and Dharwad-Hubli: Here are the highlights

Karnataka Elections 2018: Track PM Narendra Modi and Congress chief Rahul Gandhi’s campaign trail (This interactive graph may take a minute to load)

Live Blog

IndianExpress.com reached Bhatkal and Davanagere constituencies today. Here is the mood on the ground

22:56 (IST)08 May 2018
Wrap: So who has the upper hand in Bhatkal?

When it comes down to pure arithmetic, which is what all elections are currently about, the Congress candidate and incumbent MLA Mankala Vaidya does seem to have a slight edge over the BJP candidate Sunil Naik. Unlike the last time when there were too many candidates in the fray and the votes got completely split among five candidates, this time the contest is direct: Congress versus BJP. There's no doubt that the voters, even supporters of the saffron party, have tremendous faith in Vaidya. A relatively young leader (he's in his early 40s), Vaidya has a bunch of accomplishments to his name. From upgradation of roads in villages to solving the drinking water supply and maximum percolation of central and state funds, Vaidya has done a lot in Bhatkal. But there still remains work to do. Employment opportunities for the youth, row over land deeds and boosting infrastructure in the region remain challenges.

If Mankala does win, his margin may be small, say locals. And that's largely because of the ramping up of religious sentiments fuelled by the BJP campaign. Hard-line leaders like Yogi Adityanath have already addressed public meetings in Bhatkal to enthuse it's core Hindu vote bank. Will polarisation work? Or will the 2+2 game that Congress is banking on produce results? I'd rather wait till May 15 than risk wearing the astrologer hat.

21:59 (IST)08 May 2018
Whatever 'Tanzeem' says, we do

Yasin Kola, who runs a shop selling almirahs in Bhatkal town, says the town has been very peaceful for over a decade and should be disassociated with the 'terrorist' tag. He attests to the call by the collective of jamaat committees called 'Tanzeem' to vote for the Congress. 'Whatever Tanzeem says, we do. We don't go against them. Right now, Congress is the non-communal party so I will vote for it,' he says.

20:50 (IST)08 May 2018
Independent MLA and now Cong candidate gets praise from voters, but how many will vote for him?

Mankala Vaidya, who won last time as an Independent, has unanimous support among the people for his development works in the last 5 years. That's certain, that he's big-hearted, always helps everyone regardless of where they belong, understands the sentiments of the people and has invested money from his own pocket for progress in Bhatkal are some of the things people say about him. 'Voh gareebon ka dard samajhte hai,' said a local.

But but but. In comes religion in the middle. The BJP is campaigning on the ground with the idea that Mankala has taken the support of Tanzeem and is therefore in the 'pocket of the Muslim community'. Rooted in a strong Hindutva plank, it is trying to pitch him as a candidate who will ditch the Hindu cause once he gets elected. And therein comes a Hindu-Muslim divide, unseen in Bhatkal for sometime now. Whether this idea will get the BJP it's much-desired victory in Bhatkal will only be revealed on May 15, but one thing's for sure, turbulent undercurrents for religious polarisation has already been set in motion.

19:55 (IST)08 May 2018
What does people of Davanagere want?

In February this year, addressed a rally here on the occasion of 's birthday. He promised the people of Karnataka that they won't have to live under a Congress rule come May. But what do residents here have to say? (Reports Aaron Pereira)

Arun, who runs a family-owned pharmacy, says this is a Congress stronghold and the father-son duo have a strong chance of coming back to power. "But this is also our first chance to vote for BJP under a Modi govt. He talks about development all the time." "Because of the educational institutes here, there is a lot of development in the city. If you have to attract students you need to have better roads, proper power supply, etc. We don't have any serious civic issues at least in the city limits." But what about the mills?

Davanagere Cotton Mills was the first to be setup here in 1939. Others were Ganeshar Textile Mills, Siddheswara Textile Mills, Chandrodaya Mills, Yallamma Cotton, Woollen and Silk Mills, Chigateri Mills, and Anjaneya Cotton Mills. The district was well connected via rail & road.

19:50 (IST)08 May 2018
Arecanut and coconut plantations are all over Bhatkal

Cultivation of arecanut, popular in this part of Karnataka, is considered a money-maker in Bhatkal. Large acres of arecanut plantation, along with coconut, can be seen as one moves away from Bhatkal town towards the hinterlands. A local told me that farmers here are actually quite happy with the produce and the prices they get. While industries and factories are almost non-existent here, there are a lot of daily wagers working in neighbouring bigger towns. And of course, the presence of the coast means that there are a lot of families depending on fishing. (Reports Vishnu Varma)

19:21 (IST)08 May 2018
Tanzeem has made call to support Congress because Bhatkal needs peace and development

In an interview, Altaf, the general secretary of Tanzeem which wields influence over 55000 Muslims in Bhatkal, said a careful and informed decision was taken to support the Congress candidate because Bhatkal needs peace and development.

'Last time, we supported the JD(S) candidate but he came second. He got 26000+ votes. This time, we have decided to support the Congress because Bhatkal needs peace and development. We have requested the community to vote for Congress but ultimately it's their choice,' he says.

He denied allegations that Tanzeem had pressurised the JD(S) candidate in fears that the Muslim vote may get divided. 'We didn't force anyone to withdraw from the contest. He realized that he is not getting our support so he backed out on his own,' he said.

He also added that Bhatkal is now one of the most peaceful areas in the state where Hindus and Muslims co-exist together. 'Once you come, you will not want to leave,' he said.

18:38 (IST)08 May 2018
Davanagere holds a higher literacy rate in Karnataka

While the literacy rate of Karnataka is around 75 per cent, according to the 2011 Census, Davanagere’s literacy rate is 84.9 per cent. Female literacy is high at 80.7 per cent.  

18:34 (IST)08 May 2018
Protecting natural resources in and around Bhatkal
18:03 (IST)08 May 2018
Bhatkal yearns for peaceful India

On the road along the coast of Bandar, Chand Pir was riding a tempo-rickshaw on Tuesday evening. On enquiring about what's making the elections interesting in Bhatkal, he pours his heart out. 'My favourite leader is Lal Bahadur Shastri. India can never expect a leader like him. Someone like him won't be born again,' he says.'What are today's leaders doing? While one is trying to consolidate the Hindu vote, the other is trying to get the votes of minorities. All they are doing is to drive a wedge between communities. They are filling people's hearts and minds with hate. Why can't we as a society ever stay united? Look at other countries,' he says. 'Pragati baad mein aa sakta hai, par pehle aman aur asha ki zarurat hai, log saath milke rehna chahiye,' he says.Chand Pir hope for a peaceful Bhatkal. (Express Photo by Vishnu Varma)

17:59 (IST)08 May 2018
Parts of Bhatkal are still waiting to get cell phone reception towers to improve connectivity

As soon as I enter Marukeri panchayat, network on my phone zonks out. There's no cell phone tower here. A local tells me officials have been trying to get a cell phone tower here for more than a year. But it has not come to fruition. Only landline phones work here. If you have to make a cell phone call, you have to go to Bhatkal, 10 km away.

Govinda Shetty, 69, is an ex-high school teacher who stays in Marukeri panchayat in Bhatkal. He says local problems concerning the people are not as serious as in other areas. 'Coconut and arecanut are mainly cultivated here. Since they get good prices, farmers are happy,' he says.In the month of May, there's a drinking water shortage and when the monsoons come, water is everywhere, he adds. The biggest problem, he says, is the lack of job opportunities for the youth. Upon completing graduation, youngsters, mainly boys, are travelling out to Mangalore and Bangalore.Demonetization was so bad for us. I have four children to feed with whatever I get. We are all ordinary people living with what we earn. We don't dream a lot,' he says.

Govinda Shetty, 69, is an ex-high school teacher who stays in Marukeri panchayat in Bhatkal. (Express Photo by Vishnu Varma)

17:34 (IST)08 May 2018
A look at candidates in Davanagere south

On the ground in Davanagere south, the incumbent is Congress' SS Mallikarjun. The JD(S) has put up Ananda M and the BJP candidate is SA Ravindranath. In Davanagere south, the Congress has SS Malikarjun’s father Shamanur Shivashankarappa. JD(S) has J Amanulla Khan and the BJPhas fielded Yashavantha Rao Jadhav'. 

16:49 (IST)08 May 2018
Tanzeem plays an important role in influencing voters in parts of Bhatkal

It's not clear whether it has been fuelled by the BJP, but several voters say Mankala Vaidya, the Independent MLA who's fighting on a Congress ticket, will now not take care of Hindus because he has taken the support of Tanzeem, the influential Muslim collective in the area.

Suresh J Naik, who works as an electrician and whose house is meters away from the beach near Bhatkal, says, 'Voh aadmi (Vaidya) bahut accha hai, accha kaam kiya hai, par voh Congress mein gaya aur Tanzeem ka support liya. Ab usko unke demands ko sunna padega. Humara koi value nahi hoga.' Naik, who has always voted for the BJP, says if he had remained an Independent, he would have won easily. But now that he is taking the support of the minorities, it's a tough fight. '50-50 hai is baar, kuch bol nahi sakte,' he says.

Naik admits that Vaidya was the one who fixed the drinking water supply in the area. But he still cannot vote for him, he adds.

16:06 (IST)08 May 2018
The infamous history of Bhatkal

Bhatkal is a port town of Uttar Kannada which falls on NH 66, which runs between Mumbai and Kochi. The district has been in news over the years for its association with Indian Mujahideen leader Yasin Bhatkal, who hailed from the area. Yasin allegedly established the IM’s so-called Darbhanga, Delhi and Ranchi modules, and was responsible for a series of attacks, including the German Bakery blast, the Delhi Jama Masjid shooting, and the Varanasi blast (all in 2010), the 2011 Mumbai bombings, and the 2013 Hyderabad blasts.

15:52 (IST)08 May 2018
Watch | A scenic view of the beach in Bhatkal
15:48 (IST)08 May 2018
'I pray because my religion teaches me that'

According to Ganesh Moger, a Congress worker, for a long time, there was a need of a temple here in Bhatkal for people to pray. 'Earlier, we had to go to places like Dharmasthala to pray. So Mangala Vaidya, using Rs 1 crore fund, built a Ram Mandir. This is real Hinduism, not like these guys (BJP guys), who say 'Hindutva, Hindutva' but do nothing for Hindus,' says Ganesh.

' After I wake up in the morning, I pray because my religion teaches me that. These guys (BJP) just put on a tilak on the forehead and call it dharma,' he adds. Their slogan of 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas' is actually our slogan because we are the people working for Hindus, Muslims and Christians,' he says. Ganesh thinks the BJP has to depend on star campaigners from Centre like Modi and Amit Shah, but Congress needs just one star campaigner - Siddaramaiah. (Report by Vishnu Varma)

Ganesh (left) is a long time Congress supporter. (Express Photo by Vishnu Varma)

14:12 (IST)08 May 2018
This young worker picks BJP over Congress. Here's why

Rajesh is standing in for his elder brother who runs a small roadside stall selling idlis, buns, and vada in Bantwal town. He works in a tiles shop for a salary of Rs 10,000. He says his salary is low, but he doesn't want to go to Bangalore or other cities. "Gaav accha hai," he says. He adds there is regular water supply and electricity in his home, so no major problems to talk about. He has not finished his graduation so he can't be confident of a job. "Job karega toh flop hoga," he admits.

Rajesh wants the BJP to win because the candidate Sunil Naik is a good leader. He says Mankala, the Congress candidate now, has done work but he still votes for BJP. When asked about who he likes, quick comes the reply, "Modi. Aur Yogi Adityanath. Hindutva ke liye kaam kar rahe hai accha hai."

(Express Photo/Vishnu Varma)

14:07 (IST)08 May 2018
14:00 (IST)08 May 2018
The politics of Bhatkal

Bhatkal's politics is quite complex. Mankala Vaidya, who won here last time as an Independent, has got the Congress ticket for this election. In a constituency with 55,000 Muslim voters, the Majlis-e-Islah-wa-Tanzeem, an influential organisation of jamaat committees in the area, wields tremendous sway. In fact, a local journalist says Muslims vote for the candidate the Tanzeem indicates. Whatever it says, they obey.

Last time, the Tanzeem had chosen a JD(S) candidate who eventually came second. This time it has given nod to Congress' Mankala Vaidya. So Vaidya is likely to get the full support of the Muslim community.

Now, this is where the polarisation begins. Ganesh, who runs a general store in Bhatkal, says Vaidya could have won again if he stood as an Independent. But as he has switched sides, taken a Congres ticket and accepted the Tanzeem's support, Hindus will now rally for the BJP thus wreaking a division of votes solely on religious grounds. Ganesh says Mankala has done a lot of work like electrifying houses, linking internal roads, but he shouldn't have taken the Congress ticket.

12:24 (IST)08 May 2018
'Excellent roads in Karnataka'

As they hit the road, our reporters, in a quick Twitter chat, discuss state of the roads in Karnataka.

12:09 (IST)08 May 2018
On the road to Davanagere

From Hubli-Dharwad East, Aaron on Monday reported that the electorate seems clear on one thing — incumbent Congress MLA Prasad Abbayya has delivered. Shopkeepers, residents, and roadside vendors agree that in the last five years this constituency has changed for the better. 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. More from Hubli-Dharwad here.

11:55 (IST)08 May 2018
Highlights — notes from Udupi

I make my way from Udupi to Bhatkal today.

Notes from Udupi: I think this is a very intriguing and very, very close election. Everywhere I ask, voters say the Congress-led government's performance is not bad suggesting not a lot of anti-incumbency. The BJP, however, seems to be giving Congress MLA and Fisheries Minister Pramod Madhwaraj — who had coasted to a phenomenal victory in 2013 by 39000 votes — a tough fight. Read more here. (Reported by Vishnu Varma)

11:53 (IST)08 May 2018

On the ground with IndianExpress.com: Today, we travel to Bhatkal and Davanagere constituencies. Bhatkal lies along the west coast in Uttara Kannada district. Davanagere, meanwhile, is located in central Karnataka. Follow our live blog through the day for the latest news.

Ahead of the Karnataka Assembly Elections 2018, IndianExpress.com has travelled to several constituencies across the state in the last week to speak to voters and candidates to gauge the mood on the ground. Read ground reports from the South — Mangalore, Bantwal and Udupi constituencies — as well as from the North —Khanapur, Belgavi and Dharwad-Hubli — on IndianExpress.com.

There are two days of campaigning left before the state goes to polls on May 12. Counting of votes is scheduled on May 15.

  • news-guard-logo
  • The Indian Express website has been rated GREEN for its credibility and trustworthiness by Newsguard, a global service that rates news sources for their journalistic standards.
  • news-guard-logo-with-title
First uploaded on: 08-05-2018 at 11:29 IST
Latest Comment
Post Comment
Read Comments
close