The Bagalkot Assembly constituency in Karnataka is set for a significant political battle, as it prepares for a by-election within the next five months. This will mark the third by-election in the constituency's history, triggered by the unfortunate demise of the sitting Congress MLA, Hullappa Y Meti. The upcoming poll is shaping up to be a high-stakes contest for both major parties.
A High-Stakes Political Battle
Political activity in Bagalkot has intensified as parties strategize for the crucial vote. Meti's family has put forward its claim for the Congress ticket, hoping to retain the seat. Simultaneously, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is meticulously crafting a plan to win back the constituency. For the ruling Congress, a victory is vital as it will be seen as a direct verdict on the state government's performance. For the BJP, a win would provide a substantial confidence boost ahead of the 2028 Karnataka Assembly elections. Consequently, political observers across the state will be closely monitoring this electoral face-off.
Bagalkot's Unique By-Election Legacy
Bagalkot holds the rare distinction of witnessing multiple by-elections. The first occurred in 1962 under extraordinary circumstances. Congress stalwart and chief ministerial candidate S Nijalingappa had lost the general election from Hosadurga to GT Rangappa of the Praja Socialist Party by 5,700 votes. Since a chief minister must be an MLA, SR Kanthi from Hungund was sworn in as a 'protem' chief minister.
In a masterful political maneuver, the sitting Congress MLA from Bagalkot, Basappa T Muranal, resigned based on caste calculations and strategy. This allowed Nijalingappa to contest the by-election from Bagalkot, which he won unopposed. After 96 days, Kanthi resigned, and Nijalingappa took oath as the Chief Minister of Mysore State (now Karnataka) for his third term on June 21, 1962. Nijalingappa later compared Kanthi's sacrifice to that of Bharath from the Ramayana.
From 1998 to the Present Day
The second by-election for the seat took place in 1998. It was necessitated after Ajaykumar Sarnayak, the Janata Dal MLA since 1994, resigned upon being elected to the Lok Sabha in 1997. This by-election proved historic for the BJP, as PH Pujar won against Congress's Channabasavaraj Koti by 16,731 votes, opening the party's account in the constituency.
The BJP retained the seat in 2004 with Veeranna Charantimath. Interestingly, Pujar contested as an independent and lost. Veeranna held the seat in 2008 but lost to Congress's HY Meti in 2013. He reclaimed it in 2018, only to lose again to Meti in the 2023 election by a narrow margin of 5,848 votes. Analysts noted that Veeranna's brother, Mallikarjun Charantimath, who secured 10,116 votes, played a spoiler role.
Now, with the stage set for a third by-election, political circles in Bagalkot and Bengaluru are in a frenzy of preparation. The outcome will not only decide the region's immediate representative but also set the narrative for Karnataka's political future.
