Will Rajesh Naik of BJP prove to be giant killer in Bantwal?
Political Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bantwal
Bantwal, May 2: It looks like the initial euphoria of a Congress wave sweeping across the coastal districts of Udupi and Mangalore and the easy win predicted for veteran Congressman Ramanath Rai, is making way for despair with each passing day. The feedback from the constituency projects a rather grim picture for the Congress and its candidate Ramanath Rai, a veteran of many electoral battles from this constituency. Though pitted against a political novice from the rival BJP, Rajesh Naik, Ramanath Rai is in a catch 22 situation as it is not going to be a cakewalk for him in the changed political scenario in the constituency.
Ramantha Rai has been fighting from this constituency for the seventh time having won it every time except in 2004 when BJP was able to register a win. In 2008 Ramantha Rai scraped through defeating his cousin Nagaraj Shetty of BJP by a wafer-thin margin of about 1200 votes in a closely fought battle. This time there are six candidates in the fray in Bantwal and once again it is going be a straight fight between the two national parties – Congress and BJP, with SDPI expected to play the spoilsport eating into Congress votes.
In a way Bantwal constituency is grabbing several eyeballs. People are keen to watch this battle between veteran Ramanath Rai of Congress and progressive farmer-turned politician, the shy and soft spoken Rajesh Naik of BJP, a fresh face in the political scene. The reasons for this heightened interest are many.
Clamour for Muslim votes
The constituency has traditionally shown its proclivity towards the Congress with a brief interlude when Nagaraj Shetty of BJP could do the unthinkable in 2004 by defeating Ramanath Rai. The constituency is dominated by Muslims and Billavas in equal measure closely followed by Bunts, Kulals and Ganigas. While Muslims are generally considered as Congress vote bank, Hindu voters are divided in their loyalty between the Congress and BJP. But there is a hitch. The Congress is not the sole claimant for Muslim votes unlike the past, as SDPI, the militant wing of People Front of India candidate Abdul Majeed Khan and KJP candidate Ibrahim are also among the six candidates in the fray and have a claim on Muslim votes.
The Congress is particularly weary of the SDPI which is trying to emerge as an important political force, whether one likes it or not. If the SDPI is able to garner even about 2500 votes and Ibrahim of KJP another 1000 votes at the least, the Congress will really have nightmares. Both Naik and Rai belong to one of the dominant Bunt communities and their votes will play a crucial role in deciding the winner. Sources say that the Billava community has decided to side with the BJP to teach a lesson to Ramanath Rai, who they believe was largely responsible for the defeat of Janardhana Poojary in the hands of Nalin Kumar Kateel in 2009 general elections.
Challenge that spurred the opposition
Ramantha Rai might have wagged his tongue too much even before the real battle had begun when he boasted that the real fight in Bantwal is between him (Ramanath Rai) and Kalladka Prabbhakar Bhat and not Rajesh Naik. This is a challenge which the RSS and the BJP has taken with the true spirit and the party cadres are working overtime to give a tit for a tat response to Rai. Rajesh Naik has refused to retort to this diatribe of Rai saying Rai is a senior politician and it has earned him brawny points.
Apart from that, even Congressmen feel that Rai has been in politics for too long and a fresh face would have done wonders for the party. For the BJP the fresh-faced Rajesh Naik has been the best thing that could happen as it has energized the party rank and file. Ashwini Kumar Rai, a strong aspirant for Congress ticket along with Rai must be totally a disillusioned man having failed in his attempt to convince the central leadership to consider his candidature. One is not sure whether Ashwini and sympathizers are supporting Rai or not.
A young and affable Rajesh Naik is a progressive farmer and Bantwal being an agrarian constituency he may be able to reach out to the farmers. With the RSS having a strong presence especially in the dominant pockets of Vitla, which is part of Bantwal now, Rajesh Naik has his task cut out. Though, a fresh face and political novice, BJP being a cadre-based party with an ideology of its own, the lack of political familiarity of Rajesh Naik may not be a major hindrance coming in the way of people voting for him.
Rajesh is guided by his political mentors like Padmanabha Kottary and Rukmayya Poojary, former BJP MLA’s from erstwhile Vitla constituency, a stronghold of the RSS. Rajesh Naik is harping on the development plank of the five years of BJP rule, while Rai is concentrating on singing paeans of the achievements of the Congress in between castigating the BJP and his political opponents.
Bantwal has traditionally favoured the Congress which has won the constituency nine times as against the BJP winning it twice. N Shiva Rao BJP had won the seat in 1983 and in 2004 Nagaraj Shetty won the seat for the BJP trouncing Ramanath Rai.
It remains to be seen whether Ramantha Rai will be made to eat his own words and become a scapegoat. This battle between a political veteran and beginner, who is taking his baby steps in politics, will be watched with heightened curiosity by the people and with trepidation by the rival parties.
Other candidates in the fray from Bantwal:
Krishnappa Poojary Kalladka - JD(S)
Ibrahim - KJP
Abdul majid Khan - SDPI
Lolaksha - Ind
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