Just a handful of journalists had been current on the Bharatiya Janata Party’s media centre in Belagavi to attend state spokesperson Maruti Zirali’s presser. The relaxation had been monitoring Kannada movie star Kiccha Sudeep’s roadshow in a district vitally vital to the ruling occasion’s prospects of retaining majority within the meeting in polls scheduled on May 10.

A freeway connecting the busy business city of Hubbali, an IIT in the midst of the mango orchards in Dharwad and the mini Vidhan Soudha outdoors Belagavi city, the place the Karnataka meeting meets as soon as in a yr, are clear indicators why this district and the bigger Kittur Karnataka (erstwhile Mumbai-Karnataka) is so vital for the BJP.

The largest district outdoors Bengaluru, Belagavi has 18 seats. The BJP has 13 MLAs and the Congress, 5. For a successive time period in energy, the saffron outfit must decisive mandates in districts reminiscent of Belagavi, simply because it eyes a bigger chunk of the Old Mysuru belt, the most important electoral area of the state.

As Old Mysuru is Karnataka’s fundamental habitat for the Vokkaliga neighborhood, in Belagavi, as in lots of components of Kittur Karnataka, the politics is essentially about Lingayat aspirations.

“We are showcasing developmental work, especially for farmers. Our government allocated funds for long-pending irrigations projects. We launched free education schemes to benefit 40 lakh children from farming families. We have developed logistics in rural areas and giving free power and an additional ₹4,000 over Kisan Samman Nidhi to farmers. There are interest-free loans and lift irrigation schemes,” Zirali mentioned. “Remember, chief minister (Basavaraj) Bommai is an engineer and he was earlier irrigation minister.”

The deal with farmers underline the BJP’s main concern, the Panchamasali Lingayats. This dominant sub-sect of Lingayats are primarily farmers. And even because the Bommai authorities has elevated the Lingayat quota by 2% to primarily accommodate the Panchamasalis, they’re nonetheless upset.

At a tea stall of Mammigatti, a Panchamasali Lingayat, Murugesh R, admits that the BJP has executed loads of work and “it has become easier for us to move our produce.” “But the reservation issue remains a problem,” he quipped.

The Panchamasalis have been allotted reservation within the state’s 3B checklist, which fixes their quota inside 3B at 5%. The Panchamasalis wish to be included within the 2A checklist, the place the Banajiga Lingayats are, because it permits them 15% reservation.

The BJP is leaving no stones unturned to woo electors. BS Yeddyiurappa is crisscrossing the district with Panchamasali leaders of the occasion. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who held a roadshow in Belagavi in February this yr, will maintain a rally later this week. Union residence minister Amit Shah, too, will marketing campaign right here.

The Congress workplace at Chanamma circle, however, wears a abandoned look. All leaders are touring the agricultural areas, the place Panchamasalis dwell in massive numbers. “Reservation in 3A gives no benefit. Farmers are irritated that during floods and drought, Modi didn’t come to visit Belagavi,” district president Vinay Navalgatti mentioned.

“Moreover, in five years, Bommai made 600 promises but delivered less than 50.”