Karnataka elections: Badami Assembly constituency

Badami is a town and a taluk headquarters by in the Bagalkot district. Badami was formerly known as Vatapi and is of great historical significance. It was the capital of the Badami Chalukyas dynasty from 540 to 757 AD. According to mythology, demon Vatapi was killed by sage Agastya in this place and hence the name.

Badami cave temples and fort are famous and draws a lot of tourists every year. There are four main sandstone cave temples in Badami built in different eras. Cave temple-1 is dedicated to lord Shiva while cave temple-3 is dedicated to lord Vishnu. Second cave temple is dedicated Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva - the holy trinity of Hinduism. Cave temple -4 is dedicated to Mahavira. Apart from these, Jambhulinga temple, Agasthya Tirtha, temples of Goddess Yellamma, Mallikarjuna, Datttreya and Virupaksha are also famous.

Badami has an average literacy rate of 64.8 per cent with 59 per cent of the males and 41 per cent of females being literate.

The current MLA from Badami is Congress party's Chimmanakalti Baiappa Bhimappa. In 2013 Karnataka Assembly elections, Bhimappa defeated Janata Dal (Secular)'s Mahantesh Gurupadappa Mamadapur by 15,113 votes.

Bhimappa is a veteran MLA from from Badami constituency. He was elected to the legislative assembly for two sucessive terms 1994 and 1999 after which BJP's Mahagundappa Kallappa Pattanshetti defeated him in 2004 and 2008 assembly elections.

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