Tight Fight for Bengaluru Rural Lok Sabha Seat as Congress Banks on 'Guarantees', BJP on 'Modi Wave'

The Bengaluru Rural Lok Sabha seat, which saw polling on April 26 in the second round of the seven-phase general elections, is witnessing a tight fight between Congress’s incumbent MP DK Suresh and Bharatiya Janata Party’s candidate CN Manjunath, a renowned cardiologist. This battle, say voters, is not just between the Congress and BJP but also the DK brothers versus Narendra Modi. The counting of votes from all the phases will take place on June 4.

“My vote has been for the persons who bring change in Kanakapura and the Bengaluru Rural seat. The people and the land here are parched; the issue is also about how this seat can be developed as an extension of Bengaluru city, which is just 80 km away. I have voted for development this time,” said Savitri, a young college student who cast her vote for the first time.

Another voter, Venkatesh Gowda, who is 72 years old, felt that this election has been different as people are getting older to choose between two strong candidates.

“I feel that people have voted for the person who will bring water, connectivity, and infrastructure to Bengaluru Rural. The Centre can make all the difference, and we are in favour of that,” said Gowda.

Chandramma, another septuagenarian, confidently said that she voted in favour of all the women of Karnataka. “We are more empowered today, and my vote is in favour of the women who are economically strong today,” she said.

This seat has been a Congress stronghold since 2013 and is seeing a battle between two influential Vokkaliga families. While it had seen hectic campaigning and is also the fortress of Karnataka deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar and his brother DK Suresh, observers wonder how effective the Congress guarantees have been and whether they would give the party the much-needed push in this seat as well across the state. The BJP, however, is banking on the “Modi wave” to sail through apart from Dr Manjunath’s body of work as a cardiac surgeon. Manjunath is also the son-in-law of former Prime Minister and JDS supremo HD Deve Gowda.

DK Shivakumar, who cast his vote in Dodda Alahalli in Kanakapura, which falls in the Bengaluru Rural seat, said that the Congress’s guarantees will win the hearts and minds of voters, and they would favour them over ten years of the BJP’s rule that has not delivered on promises.

When asked about union home minister Amit Shah’s scathing attack on Rahul Gandhi asking him whether the Wayanad MP wanted to implement Sharia law across India and that his party manifesto also promised to retain religious personal laws, Shivakumar responded that the BJP in its term did not implement anything and now is targeting the Congress.

“They don’t talk about development. What about price rise? Let them come up with a solution for this and then make such comments,” he said in an exclusive interview with News18.

When asked about PM Modi’s Hindutva pitch and the comment that the Congress will snatch “mangalsutras” of mothers and sisters, Shivakumar called it “unfortunate”.

“I feel sorry for people like the PM of India speaking like this. Priyanka Gandhi has replied well. That’s all I can say,” he told News18.

He also hit back at BJP ally and Janata Dal (Secular) leader HD Kumaraswamy for alleging that the Congress was practising “cash for votes” and QR code cards with money loaded were being distributed to voters. “Kumaraswamy has distributed money in Mandya, Bengaluru Rural. He has done it, not us. We have given our guarantee card and BJP also has given its golden card,” he said.

DK Suresh also targeted the BJP at the Centre for having started a rhetoric on Hindutva at a time when people demand development.

“Isn’t it sad that they are speaking of being Hindus to save it, aren’t we all Hindus, don’t we follow the same customs and traditions? What is so special about them (BJP),” Suresh said in an exclusive interview with News18. Confident of his win, Suresh believes that his work in the constituency as an MP for two terms will help him retain it once again.

The BJP which had bagged all the Bengaluru seats in 2019, except Rural, is eyeing a win this time and a sweep of all the city seats. Bengaluru Rural has around 70% Vokkaligas, 10% Lingayats, and 15% Muslims. In 2009, post-delimitation, the Bangalore Rural seat was netted by HD Kumaraswamy. However, DK Suresh won a bypoll in 2013 and retained the seat in the 2014 and 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

In a move to boost voter engagement and raise awareness for forest conservation, the Kanakapura Forest Department introduced a special theme polling booth in Kanakapura.

The booth gave people an immersive experience of being amid nature while casting their votes.

Mahadev S, the municipal commissioner of Kanakapura, said it was aimed at bringing awareness while trying to boost voter turnout. “We should value our environment and address issues like climate change, forest, and water conservation while also asking people to exercise their franchise,” he said. The initiative also saw voters being gifted saplings and educational displays on forest conservation inside the polling station.

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