Karnataka Election: BJP Faces Tough Contest For First Time In This Party Stronghold In 2 Decades

Karnataka elections: There are 39.01 lakh voters in the 18 assembly constituencies of Belagavi district. Out of which, 19,68,928 are male voters, 19,32,576 women and 141 registered as Others, as per the official data.

Belagavi district with the second highest number of assembly seats after Bengaluru Urban -- is expected to face a tough contest between the BJP and Congress as Lingayat politics surmounts the local issues, but the Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti (MES) could play spoilsport in a few seats as it wants to keep the border issue alive.

There are 18 assembly constituencies in the border district which is a Lingayat stronghold and has been a BJP stronghold in the last two decades.

As in the last three elections, it is likely to be a straight contest between the BJP and Congress in most of the assembly seats barring five where the Shiv Sena-NCP supported MES -- a vocal proponent of the inclusion of Belagavi and other Marathi-speaking areas in Maharashtra -- has fielded local candidates.

The leadership vacuum in the Lingayat community after sidelining of stalwart leader B S Yediyurappa, deaths of some prominent local Lingayat BJP leaders like Suresh Angadi and Umesh Katti and the rising clout of politically influencial Jarkiholi family belonging to scheduled tribes community -- are expected to resonate among voters.