Ground Report: Dy.CM Shivakumar ‘missing in action’ from bypoll-bound Bagalkot

Bagalkot/Bengaluru

A striking element in the bypoll-bound Bagalkot Assembly constituency is the conspicuous absence of Deputy Chief Minister (Dy CM) D. K. Shivakumar from the campaign ecosystem. Apart from holding a meeting with Congress workers on April 1, he has remained largely missing from on-ground campaign activities, raising eyebrows within party circles.

Congress workers stationed in Bagalkot suggest that the responsibility for managing the bypoll campaign has largely been shouldered by Minister for Public Works Department, Satish Laxmanrao Jarkiholi, with partial involvement from Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. Jarkiholi has been actively campaigning across both rural and urban segments of the constituency over the past two weeks, while Siddaramaiah has participated in campaign efforts for at least two days.

Shivakumar, who also serves as the President of the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC), appears to have selectively stayed away from this constituency for reasons that remain unclear. However, sources within the Congress indicate underlying tensions, suggesting that Jarkiholi and Shivakumar are not entirely aligned and may view each other as political competitors—potentially explaining Shivakumar’s absence from the campaign trail.

In contrast to Davanagere South, where even disgruntled Muslim voters are being actively engaged and persuaded by Shivakumar and a band of party leaders to ensure the victory of Congress candidate Samarth Mallikarjun, the electoral contest in Bagalkot remains a tight, neck-and-neck battle. A Congress worker remarked, “Sensing the intensity of the contest, Shivakumar should have campaigned here for at least three days.”

The contest in Bagalkot is primarily between Congress candidate Umesh H Meti and BJP’s Veeranna Charantimath. Sources within the BJP indicate that the party is placing greater strategic focus on Bagalkot rather than Davanagere South. In such a scenario, Shivakumar’s absence becomes even more pronounced and politically significant.

Meanwhile, Jarkiholi appears somewhat tense about the evolving situation and is putting in sustained efforts to retain the seat, which fell vacant following the death of H. Y. Meti.

Responding to these observations, Shivakumar’s office told blrpost.com that he has been actively campaigning across Kerala, Assam, and Karnataka. The office further stated that he is likely to visit Bagalkot on April 7 to campaign for the party candidate.