The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is currently facing a major challenge as they race to fill up 18 seats in the Belagavi district. Internal discord has arisen within the party, which is on a mission to determine their candidates for the upcoming elections. Dismay in the party was brought on by the sudden and untimely passing of their prominent leaders, Umesh Katti and Suresh Angadi. The Central Leadership of BJP has held a core committee meeting in Belagavi city to try and resolve this issue.
Ramesh Jarkiholi is at the centre of the controversy and has demanded to be given complete control of the 18-seat management and tickets for himself and three of his supporters. This has not sat well with the other party leaders who are against Jarkiholi’s idea. Former Deputy Chief Minister Laxman Savadi and Chikodi MP Annasaheb Jolle have both voiced their disapproval to the Central Leadership.
These internal disputes further complicate the situation in Belagavi that was won by BJP in 10 out of the 18 seats in 2018. This has caused panic among BJP who are keen to maintain their lead. In constituencies such as Athani, Jarkiholi and Laxman Savadi are pitted against each other to secure a seat. While in Belagavi (North), Khanapur and Savadatti, rebellion by the Lingayat community against the incumbent MLA Anil Benake has posed another dilemma.
On one hand, the Lingayat community is demanding a seat for the Lingayat, while on the other, the Maratha community, who form the major vote share in Belagavi, is backing the sitting MLA. To add to the problem, in Savadatti, more than 10 contestants are vying for the seat, including the late Anand Mamani’s wife. All these different elements has led to a Catch-22 situation for BJP as they cannot completely reject Jarkiholi’s demands, nor can they afford to displease other party leaders.
The Bharatiya Janata Party is one of the largest political parties in India, founded in 1980 by Atal Bihari Vajpayee and currently led the Honourable Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The party states their vision is to build an India where everyone feels secure and lives with dignity, no one is deprived of basic amenities and everyone has a shot at leading a quality life. This mission has been at the heart of the party’s success and they continuously strive to implement better policies that uplift people and improve the nation’s living conditions.
