Hot Seat, Hotter Battle

The top contenders for the post of Karnataka chief minister.

- Prathima Nandakumar

As the battle for Karnataka heats up, there is the question of who will become chief minister. There are four prominent contenders, three of whom have held the post earlier. The unpredictability of the May 12 elections has compelled Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to look for a “safer” second seat. The others, however, seem to be confident of winning from their primary base.

SIDDARAMAIAH

Chamundeshwari

He is bracing for battle on two fronts—Chamundeshwari in Mysuru and Badami in Bagalkot. Though he has won from Chamundeshwari five times, most recently in 2006, winning again seems to be a daunting task. The Kuruba strongman will take on old friend G.T. Deve Gowda, a Vokkaliga leader from the Janata Dal (Secular).

Interestingly, some reports have apparently warned Siddaramaiah of a Vokkaliga mobilisation against him. Recently, Siddaramaiah told his party workers to end the reign of H.D. Deve Gowda’s sons in Hassan. This angered the Vokkaligas, who consider Gowda their unquestionable leader.

A defeat would jeopardise Siddaramaiah’s chances of seeking a second term as chief minister, even if the Congress gets a clear majority. And, on ground, that tension is showing. If his whirlwind tour of Chamundeshwari and the closed-door meetings with caste leaders are any indication, the constituency seems to be turning hostile towards Siddaramaiah. And, this might have made him choose the “safer” Badami seat, which has a sizeable Kuruba population.

Chamundeshwari has a strong mix of Vokkaligas, dalits and backward classes, with a sprinkling of minorities. It can only be won by stitching together a winning caste coalition.