Bidar: With Bidar recording a high voting percentage of 60.20 this time as against 53 the last election, there is much speculation whether it could spell the end of the road for former Chief Minister N Dharam Singh, who is possibly fighting his last election from here.
Having to fight both the BJP and JD(S), Mr Singh has a herculean task on his hands these polls.
More disturbing for him is challenge from JD(S) candidate, Bandeppa Kashempur, who is said to have pocketed a substantial number of Kuruba, Muslim, other BC and SC votes, which have traditionally gone to the Congress.
Considering the importance of Kuruba voters, who account for nearly 10 per cent of the total votes in Bidar district, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had toured the constituency three times in the run up to the poll to make sure they came to his party.
But despite this the Kurubas are said to have thrown their weight behind Mr Kashempur.
“Mr Siddaramaiah may be their leader in the state, but in Bidar, it is Mr Kashempur who is their leader.
They may want another member of their community in a top postion,” say political observers.
In more bad news for Mr Singh a section of Muslims, who were supporters of the late Mirajuddin Patel, whose brother Naseem Patel is the district JD(S) president, have reportedly voted for Mr Kashmepur as well.
“Unlike in other constituencies of the Hyderabad Karnataka region, where Muslims have voted enblock for the Congress in view of the Modi factor, in Bidar, especially in Bidar City, Humnabad, Chitaguppa and other places they have voted for the JD(S). This may prove costly for Mr Singh and help the BJP,” say the analysts.
Encouraged by the higher voter percentage, BJP supporters, for their part, distributed sweets and burst crackers after polling as they felt it spelt good news for their candidate these elections. “In view of the Modi wave, the triangular contest and high percentage of voting, our candidate’s victory is certain,” asserts Mr Raghunath Malkpaure, state BJP General Secratery.
