Sugar barons fight it out
There are problems galore for the people of the region. Inadequate facilities for the people who belong to submerged areas, dried up barrages, shortage of water in Krishna reservoir in Almatti and frequent power cuts haunt the people here.
However, when it is election time none of these problems is an issue. The people forget the issues and tend to side with the candidates on the basis of their caste, while the politician-owners of the sugar factories who were dealing with farmers as businessmen, now act like politicians trying to woo voters on caste lines and induce them by other means.
"This is the main reason why politicians tend to take people lightly and the problems continue to fester," said Manjunath of Tumbarmatti village in Bilgi constituency.
The private sugar factories are owned by industries minister Murugesh Nirani, former union minister Siddu Nyamagouda, former MP S R Patil, mining baron Veeramani, Jagadish Gudagunti, Shamanur Shivashankarappa and Somaiya while two cooperative sugar factories are controlled by minister Govind Karjol and former ministers B B Chimmanakatti and R B Timmapur. Though the owners of private factories belong to different political parties, they are united when protecting the interests of the factories are concerned.
Bagalkot has seven assembly constituencies. The BJP had won all seven seats in 2008. Now, sugar barons Murugesh Nirani (BJP-Bilgi), Siddu Nymagouda (Congress-Jamkhandi), Jagadish Gudagunti (independent-Jamkhandi), B B Chimmanakatti (Congress-Badami), Govind Karjol (BJP-Mudhol) and R B Timmapur (Congress-Mudhol) are in the fray.
Actor Umashri (Congress) is facing sitting MLA Siddu Savadi at Terdal while Veeranna Charantimath (BJP) is facing a challenge from former minister H Y Meti (Congress) in Bagalkot. In Hungund Kashappanavar (Congress) is pitted against sitting MLA Doddanagouda Patil (BJP).