Bagalkot Bypoll Gains Significance In State’s Political Landscape Battle For Bagalkot

Bagalkot: The upcoming by-election in Bagalkot has assumed significance for the Congress and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. While the election is numerically insignificant, it carries substantial political and symbolic value.

The seat, which the Congress had won in 2023 through HY Meti, fell vacant following his death last year, necessitating the bypoll. While the Congress leaders are confident of victory in the by elections, even a defeat in one seat would not pose any threat to its government in any way as the party enjoys a comfortable position in the assembly.

If the Congress loses, the opposition might utilize any setback to argue that the Congress is losing ground despite its claims of popular welfare initiatives. It could also revive narratives around internal factionalism and the ongoing speculation over a possible change in leadership.

The timing of the election adds to its importance. With just about two years left for the next Assembly polls and local body elections— including urban local bodies and panchayats — expected in the near future, the by-election is being viewed as a political barometer.

The personal and political equations involved further raise the stakes. The late HY Meti was considered a close associate of Siddaramaiah, having stood by him since his days in JD(S). Meti too quit Janata Dal (Secular) nearly two decades ago along with Siddaramaiah and joined Congress. Both were part of the AHINDA movement. Their long-standing association makes the outcome in Bagalkot symbolically important for the Chief Minister.

Caste dynamics also play a crucial role. Meti belonged to the Kuruba community — the same as Siddaramaiah — which has a significant presence in the constituency, with about 40,000 voters.

The bypoll also ties into the broader AHINDA (minorities, backward classes and Dalits) strategy that Siddaramaiah has consistently championed. Both he and Meti had emphasised this social coalition, and a victory in Bagalkot would reinforce the continuing relevance of that political formula.

Sources indicate that senior Congress leader Satish Jarkiholi, who shares a close rapport with both Siddaramaiah and the late Meti, is actively working to consolidate support among AHINDA groups in the constituency.

For Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar as well, the outcome carries weight, coming soon after he completed six years as Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee president.

Despite underlying differences within the party, the Congress leadership is expected to close ranks and mount a united campaign.