Karnataka is gearing up for a three-cornered contest between the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party , Congress and Janata Dal in the Assembly polls scheduled for May 10. While the BJP is making an all-out effort to retain power in the state riding on the popularity of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, it could face a tough fight from both the Congress and JD in many seats. The key candidates who are expected to play a crucial role in the outcome of the elections include former CM Siddaramaiah, who is contesting from Varuna, Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee Chief D.K. Shivakumar, who is contesting from Kanakapura, and incumbent Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, who is contesting from Shiggaon constituency. In addition, former CM BS Yediyurappa's son BY Vijayendra is contesting from Shikaripura and BJP has given a ticket to Yashpal Suvarna, a hardline Hindutva voice in the state for the sensitive Udupi seat. Former chief minister HD Kumaraswamy is contesting from the Channapatna constituency. The elections will also see disgruntled BJP leader Jagadish Shettar, who recently joined Congress, contesting from the Hubli-Dharwad Central constituency. With such a strong line-up of candidates, the Karnataka Assembly election is going to witness intense battles across seats. Here are the key battles in the Karnataka Assembly election to watch out for. Varuna | The Varuna constituency in Karnataka is all set for an interesting battle in the upcoming Assembly election. The three main contenders for the seat are Siddaramaiah from Congress, V. Somanna from BJP and Dr Bharathi Shankar from JD. Former CM Siddaramaiah, who had won from this constituency in the past, is seeking re-election after his son vacated the seat. Meanwhile, V. Somanna, a veteran politician, is hoping to make a mark in these polls. Dr Bharathi Shankar, a new face in politics, is also in the fray. Kanakapura | The Kanakapura constituency will witness a high-profile battle between BJP leader and current Revenue Minister R. Ashok and KPCC Chief D.K. Shivakumar. Ashok is a prominent BJP leader who has previously served as the deputy chief minister of Karnataka. On the other hand, this is the bastion for Vokkaliga strongman Shivakumar Kanakapura as he has retained the seat since 2008 and his vote share has increased over the years. This time R. Ashok is being seen as an outsider and this could be a tough challenge for him. JD has fielded Nagaraj. Shiggaon | The Shiggaon constituency will witness a tough contest between CM Basavaraj Bommai and Congress candidate Yasir Ahmed Khan Pathan. Bommai is seeking re-election from this constituency. On the other hand, Yasir Ahmed Khan Pathan is a Congress veteran and a two-time MLA from the constituency. The election in Shiggaon is expected to be closely watched as it has traditionally been a BJP stronghold, but Congress is hopeful of a turnaround this time. Channapatna | Channapatna constituency is all set for a high-stakes battle in the upcoming Karnataka Assembly election 2023. Former CM HD Kumaraswamy will take on former BJP minister CP Yogeshwar, who has also previously contested for this seat. The Congress has fielded Gangadhar S. to contest from this constituency and the seat could see a three-way contest. The result of this constituency is expected to be a close one and may have a significant impact on the results of the election, specifically for JD. Hubli-Dharwad Central | A prominent candidate vying for the Hubli-Dharwad Central constituency seat in the Karnataka Assembly election 2023 is Jagadish Shettar, who recently switched from BJP to Congress. He will be contesting against Mahesh Tenginakai from BJP and Siddalingeshgowda Odeyar from JD. Former CM Jagdish Shettar has a strong vote base among the Lingayat community, which is said to be dominant in the seat. Shettar became the MLA for the first time from this seat in 1994 and he has represented the constituency six times. Udupi | The sensitive Udupi constituency is all set to witness an intense three-cornered fight. The BJP has fielded Yashpal Suvarna, a hardline Hindutva voice who rose to prominence during the hijab controversy. Suvarna will have a face-off against Prasadraj Kanchan of Congress and Dakshat R. Shetty from JD. With each candidate vying to secure a win, the contest in Udupi is expected to be a close one. Shikaripura | Shikaripura constituency is under watch with former CM BS Yediyurappa’s son BY Vijayendra contesting from the seat on a BJP ticket. He will face G.B. Malatesh of Congress. Shikaripura has been a stronghold of Yediyurappa, but the poll results will be closely watched as the veteran BJP leader has retired from electoral politics and the baton has shifted to his son. Athani | Athani constituency will be closely watched because of rebel BJP leader Laxman Savadi, who recently joined the Congress. The Athani seat, which is located in Belagavi district, will see a three-way battle between BJP’s Mahesh Kumathalli and Shashikant Padasalagi of JD, besides Savadi. All eyes will be on Athani as Savadi, the former deputy CM, tries to secure his political future with his new party. Hassan | In the upcoming Karnataka Assembly elections, the Hassan constituency is all set to witness a three-cornered contest between the BJP, Congress and JD. The BJP has fielded Preetham Gowda while the Congress has given its ticket to Banavasi Rangaswamy. Swaroop Prakash will be representing the JD in the election.
