Dharwad: Preparations are in full swing for the state legislative council election from the West graduates’ constituency, with polling scheduled for Oct 23 from 8am to 4pm.
A total of 14 candidates are in the fray, and 97,398 voters are eligible to exercise their franchise at 137 polling stations across the four districts, returning officer and regional commissioner KM Janaki said. The state govt has announced special leave for registered voters on Oct 23 so they can exercise their franchise. Because of the potential to split votes and alter the electoral outcome, the entry of Akhila Karnataka Students Association president Kanthkumar into the fray has emerged as a concern for both Congress and BJP candidates.
The constituency comprises Dharwad, Haveri, Gadag and Uttara Kannada districts. Seventeen years later, Limbikai is back in the electoral battle as a Congress candidate, with HK Patil leading the campaign from the front. The political reunion underlines how electoral equations and political loyalties can change with time. If Kanthkumar draws a significant share of votes that would otherwise have gone to the Congress candidate, he could indirectly strengthen the BJP’s prospects, and vice versa. In a closely contested election, even a modest shift in vote share could prove decisive, making Kanthkumar a potential spoiler whose electoral impact could determine which of the two major parties gains the upper hand.