K'taka: In Chittapur, rival candidates have contrasting backgrounds

In Karnataka’s Chittapur, considered a stronghold of Congress’ Priyank Kharge, the candidates of BJP and the JD (S) have contrasting backgrounds. While the BJP candidate, 29 year-old Manikanta Rathod has multiple criminal cases against him, JD(S) candidate Subhash Chandra Rathod was a Principal civil judge and a local court judge, who gave up his post to contest from the constituency.

Chittapur is located in Kalaburagi district. Kharge, who is seeking a third consecutive term and Manikanta and the JD(S)’ Rathod are vying for Chittapur for the May 10 Assembly polls. Manikanta contends cases against him are fake while Kharge questioned the rationale behind BJP fielding him.

”Cases against me are fake and politically motivated. People should vote for me because Prime Minister Narendra Modi brought good schemes like Ujjwala Yojana and Awas Yojana. We have several beneficiaries here and beneficiaries are always considered to be fixed vote bank,” Manikanta Rathod told PTI.

He has over 30 criminal cases against his name in five districts including Kalaburagi and Yadgir. He was also arrested in 2022 after he threatened to shoot Priyank Kharge.

Speaking about his opponent in the constituency, Rathod alleged Kharge remains ”missing” from the constituency and that, he doesn’t understand the problems of the common man in Chittapur. ”AICC president’s (Mallikarjun Kharge) son who is the incumbent MLA here, doesn’t stay in the constituency and doesn’t understand the problems of people here. He doesn’t hold public meetings or interact with the common man. He has his office in Bengaluru and doesn’t bother to visit his constituency,” he said.

He added that there is ”major unemployment’ in the region. JD(S) candidate Subhash Chandra Rathore, who gave up his post as a judge in a taluka court said the move was intentional and that he aims to bring development in the constituency, if elected. ”When I started practising (law) in 2010, I realised there is huge difference between the theory of law and reality. There is major corruption in Karnataka. I also worked as an activist and took advice from Anna Hazare and Santosh Hegde. I served as a judge in Kalburagi district for two years and thereafter, got posted in Chittapur,” Subhash told PTI.

He further claimed there are basic problems in Chittapur like the issue of road connectivity, transportation, education and unemployment. ”The basic problems in the regions like issue of road connectivity, transportation, education and unemployment got neglected for many years now. I thought I would resign from my post as a judge and contest from the seat to become a voice for the voiceless,” he said.

Priyank Kharge, who is seeking a third consecutive term from Chittapur is banking on the development works carried out by him in the constituency to win the elections even as he sharply targeted his opponent BJP’s Rathod, accusing the saffron party of insulting the people of Chittapur by nominating a ”history-sheeter.”

”I am confident the work I have done (in Chittapur segment) has been appreciated by the people. We stand for the development of the constituency. I am sure they will elect me because the BJP candidate has 40 cases against him. And that is the candidate the BJP thinks is the best possible choice for the people of Chittapur.” ”They have insulted the people (of Chittapur) by nominating such a candidate. We have always done only development politics and not divisive politics,” he added.