Bengaluru Rural Showdown: DK Suresh Takes On Dr Manjunath As Vokkaligas, SC/ST Votes Hold The Key

The 2019 Lok Sabha polls witnessed a closely contested battle in Mandya, but it's the Bengaluru Rural seat that has captured widespread attention. The spotlight intensified as the BJP nominated cardiac surgeon C N Manjunath, son-in-law of former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda, to contest in this Vokkaliga-dominated constituency.

Bengaluru Rural stands out as the sole constituency in Karnataka where the Congress emerged victorious in the 2019 elections. D K Suresh, the incumbent MP and brother of state Congress chief and Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar, has been nominated once again.

His political journey, marked by triumphs and challenges, includes a significant victory in the 2013 bypoll against former MLA Anitha Kumaraswamy. This win came after her husband and former Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy resigned from the Lok Sabha post his Assembly election victory, and Suresh secured reelection in the 2014 general elections.

The Bengaluru Rural Lok Sabha constituency, formed in 2008 and later reconstituted in 2009, emerged from the division of the Kanpur assembly constituency. In the by-election of 2013, D K Suresh clinched victory against H D Kumaraswamy's wife, Anita Kumaraswamy, by a narrow margin of 1.27 votes, eventually retaining the seat in the subsequent 2014 and 2019 elections.

Encompassing eight assembly constituencies, including Kunigal, Rajarajeshwarinagar, Anekal, Magadi, Ramnagar, Kanakpur, and Channapatna, the Bengaluru Rural constituency harbors a diverse electorate.

With a total of 27,63,910 voters, comprising 14,06,042 males, 13,57,547 females, and 321 transgender voters, the constituency's political dynamics are poised for significance. In the 2019 elections, DK Suresh secured a remarkable hat-trick victory, defeating BJP's Ashvath Narayanan Gowda by a substantial margin of 2,06,870 votes amidst the backdrop of the JDS-Congress coalition government's tenure.

While political parties have vied for dominance over the years, the constituency's essence lies in its demographic composition. With Vokkaligas and SC/ST voters comprising a significant portion, their collective voice holds sway, shaping the electoral outcome. The intricate caste dynamics, encompassing Vokkaligas, SC/STs, Lingayats, Kurubas, Muslims, and others, underscore the complex political tapestry woven within Bengaluru Rural.

It has to be noted that both the Congress and the BJP-JDS candidates are Vokkaligas.

Caste:
Vokkaligas: 7.10 lakh
SC/ST: 5.2 lakh
Lingayat: 2.6 lakh
Kurubas: 1 lakh
Muslims: 2.5 lakh
Others: 2.4 lakh

Will BJP-JDS' Strategic Move Yield Positive Result?
In the previous two elections, DK Suresh secured substantial victory margins, although not overwhelmingly so. Even while aligned with the JDS, he won by a margin of 2.0 lakh votes. In 2014, the combined votes garnered by the JDS and BJP amounted to over 7 lakh, with the JDS securing over 3 lakh and the BJP obtaining 4 lakh votes.

With both the BJP and the JDS backing Dr Manjunath, the expectation is that they will maintain their respective vote bases, given his familial connection as the son-in-law of former PM Deve Gowda.

Political pundits have already declared that it will be a tight contest and the winning margin will be less than a lakh, this time.