Karnataka election: What works for Siddaramaiah in Badami

With speculation rife that Karnataka Chief Minister, Siddaramaiah is likely to contest from Badami, the entire focus has shifted to this constituency. The constituency known for its heritage structures which attracts tourists from all corners of the world comprises 143 villages.

What makes this constituency a safe bet for Siddaramaiah is the number of Kuruba voters in this constituency. Siddaramaiah himself belongs to the Kuruba community.

Looking at the statements made by Siddaramaiah in the recent past, it does not appear that his decision to contest this seat was a knee-jerk reaction. Two months back during an address, he apologised to the people for not visiting Badami for such a long time and assured them that he would spend more time in future.

For the Kuruba community, Siddaramaiah is a favourite. They have not had a mass leader from their community for a long time. They would like to re-elect the Congress so that he becomes the CM again. Moreover analysts are of the view that Siddaramaiah could have a sway over the voters in the Mumbai-Karnataka region, if he contests from Badami.

In Badami there are around 45,000 Kurubas. The next biggest community are the Lingayats with a population of 38,000. There are 36,000 SC/STs while the Muslims account for 18,000.

However for the voter in Badami, the election is not only about caste equations. They hope that if Siddaramaiah becomes CM again, he would focus on this constituency which has been deprived of development for long.