Bagalkot bypoll campaign focussed on attacks on individual leaders, leaving out real issues

As public campaigning for the bypolls ends on Tuesday, it seems personal attacks by leaders dominated the fortnight-long campaign, pushing the real issues to the background.

Among all the 31 districts of Karnataka, Bagalkot has the lowest annual average rainfall of 450 mm. It also suffers from flash floods across the two banks of the Krishna, whenever there is sudden water release from Maharashtra. It suffers from the long pending problem of mass migration of rural farm labourers. Farmers associations have been complaining about inadequate compensation for land losers in the Upper Krishna Project and the delay in increasing the height of the Almatti dam.

However, such issues did not dominate the campaign. Some leaders like Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar and Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister H.K. Patil have blamed the Union government for the delay in notifying the UKP third phase in the gazette.

Mr. Siddaramaiah and most Congress leaders targeted the BJP nominee Viranna Charantimath’s perceived behaviour towards the common folk. “He is arrogant and short tempered. He has no time to meet the rural poor. He does not allow the common voters to enter his house. Why elect such a person who maintains a distance?”, the Chief Minister said in his first campaign rally.

Mr. Shivakumar made similar remarks and asked the people to elect Umesh Meti, who has the image of an accessible leader.

Mallikarjun Charantimath, Mr. Viranna Charantimath’s younger brother and Congress leader, accused him of amassing wealth in the name of building an educational institution.

Mr. Mallikarjun Charantimath had fought as an Independent in the last polls and joined the Congress later.

Basanagouda R. Patil Yatnal, Mr. Viranna Charantimath’s close friend, said there were some problems with the way the BJP candidate behaved with people. “I have told him to maintain his temper, smile often, and greet the common people. He has agreed,” he said in a public rally in Killa Galli.

In most of his rallies and roadshows, Mr. Yatnal targeted minorities and said that if he became the Chief Minister, he would demolish mosques from where stones are pelted at Hindus.

The BJP leaders did not seem to make any allegations against Mr. Umesh Meti, who is contesting his first election.

While most leaders targeted Mr. Siddaramaiah, Mr. Yatnal trained his guns at Vijayanand Kashappanavar, Congress MLA for Hungund and fellow Panchamasali Lingayat leader. Mr. Yatnal ridiculed Mr. Kashappanavar’s demand for IPL tickets, his manner of wearing vibhuti on his forehead, and his support for Tipu Jayanti.

Mr. Yatnal also accused Mr. Kashappanavar of betraying the trust of the Panchamasali community.

Pratap Simha, former MP, slammed Mr. Siddaramaiah for his claim of eating non-vegetarian dishes on festivals like Ugadi. The Chief Minister responded that offering non-vegetarian dishes to gods on festivals was a common practice among several communities.

Mr. Simha also accused Mr. Siddaramaiah of trying to appease Muslims. In a public rally in Bagalkot, he used an expletive while asking Mr. Siddaramaiah to get circumcised. The Chief Minister did not respond to it. Randeep Singh Surjewala, AICC general secretary in charge of Karnataka, said Mr. Simha’s derogatory remarks exposed the cheap mentality of BJP leaders.

Both - BJP and Congress leaders held meetings with leaders and activists of various caste groups. Mr Yediyurappa attended meetings of Lingayats, Marathas, Jains and OBCs, union minister Pralhad Joshi spoke at a meeting of Brahmins. B Y Vijayendra addressed meetings of Nekar, Viswakarma and other communities. Minister Satish Jarkiholi held separate meetings of Walmiki Nayaka, AHINDA communities and other groups. H M Revanna and others spoke at Kuruba community meetings. H K Patil held a meeting of Lingayat and Reddy communities.