Bengaluru, Apr 23 (IANS): Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be on a two-day visit to Karnataka starting from April 28 where his main focus will be the northern part of the state.
North Karnataka region is considered to be a bastion of the BJP and Prime Minister Modi’s visit will strengthen the party’s position. He will address six rallies across 14 Lok Sabha seats in the region.
On April 28, Prime Minister Modi will address a public rally in Davanagere, Karwar and Belagavi and will also address public gatherings in Vijayapura, Koppal and Kalaburagi constituencies where Congress has pitched in fresh faces.
There is tough competition in the Bidar Lok Sabha seat where Union Minister for State Bhagwanth Khuba, the BJP candidate, is pitched against Congress candidate Sagar Khandre.
Former Chief Minister and Belagavi BJP candidate Jagadish Shettar is also facing stiff competition from the Congress candidate Mrinal Hebbalkar.
Congress candidate Priya Jarkiholi is contesting from the Chikkodi Parliamentary seat against BJP candidate Annasaheb Jolle.
There is also a close contest between Prabha Mallikarjun and Gayathri Siddeshwar.
Former Deputy Chief Minister and Congress MLA Laxman Savadi have facilitated the joining of BJP MLA Karadi Sanganna to the Congress.
Six-time MLA from Kalaburagi district’s Afzalpur assembly seat Malikaiah Guttedar has also joined the Congress who had played a major role for the BJP in defeating Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge in the 2019 general election.
The BJP wants to consolidate the Lingayat vote bank and retain the support of oppressed classes and backwards who always supported the BJP in north Karnataka which is going to polls on May 7 in the second phase.
The Congress is hopeful that its guarantees will make a difference this time as the social indicators are low in the entire north Karnataka region and masses who are beneficiaries of guarantees will vote for them.
However, the BJP is confident that Prime Minister Modi’s wave will sweep all the hurdles for the party and retain the hold in the region.