The Bagalkot Assembly constituency is witnessing a high-stakes political contest as both the ruling Congress and the BJP are aggressively campaigning for victory. The seat became vacant after the demise of senior Congress MLA, H.Y. Meti, a close aide of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. The Congress has nominated his son, Umesh Meti, relying on sympathy and the Chief Minister’s extensive campaigning efforts.
On the other hand, BJP State President B.Y. Vijayendra is actively campaigning in the constituency, with the party expressing confidence in leveraging alleged anti-incumbency sentiments. The primary battle is between Congress candidate Umesh Meti and BJP’s Veerabhadrayya Veeranna Charantimath, a six-time contestant for the seat.
The Bagalkot constituency has approximately 2.59 lakh voters, with the significant Lingayat community comprising about 60,000 voters, followed by Kurubas (around 40,000) and minorities (around 60,000). Historically, the Congress has dominated the seat, winning it nine times since 1952, while the BJP has secured it four times.
Senior BJP MLA Siddu Savadi claimed that the BJP holds an edge in the bypoll, citing alleged lack of development under the current government. He accused the Congress of attempting to influence voters through monetary means and threats, expressing confidence in securing a lead in Bagalkot city.
Senior Congress MLA Vijayananda Kashappanavar expressed confidence in the Congress retaining the seat with a comfortable margin. He credited late H.Y. Meti for key initiatives and accused the BJP of hindering development projects during its tenure. The political environment remains tense as both parties intensify their campaigns in the run-up to the bye-election.
