The royal family in Shorapur is facing the going tough in these elections, after the death of Raja Venkatappa Naik. And, byelections have been necessitated due to the demise of the sitting MLA.
The 42-year-old elder son of Raja Venkatappa Naik, Raja Venugopal Naik, is the Congress candidate, while the former Minister Narasimha Naik is contesting against him on BJP ticket.
The Shorapur Assembly constituency (reserved for Scheduled Tribes), which is considered a sensitive constituency in Yadgir district, has seen the toughest election battles in the past history.
The late Raja Vankatappa Naik and Narasimha Naik fought politically against each other five times between 2004 and 2023. Raja Vankatappa Naik registered victories two times in 2013 and 2023, while Naraisimha Naik won in 2004, 2008 and 2018.
Now, Narasimha Naik is facing the son of his late political rival.
Narasimha Naik was a close follower of Raja Venkatappa Naik and contested the Zilla Panchayat elections from Kodekal at the age of 21 and won. But, thereafter, he moved out and contested the Assembly elections in 2004 on Kannada Nadu ticket against his political mentor, Raja Venkatappa Naik, and registered his maiden victory at the age of 25. Since then, both became political opponents.
Raja Venkatappa Naik has had a diverse voter base in his four-decade political career. Now, Raja Venugopal Naik, who is a civil engineering graduate, has to take forward his father’s legacy, taking senior leaders and party workers into confidence. He has to fight against Narasimha Naik, who has a strong vote base in the constituency, and prove his strength in the election battle in the absence of his father.
Will sympathy help?
Congress workers are saying that a sympathy wave in the wake of the untimely death of Raja Venkatappa Naik will help Raja Venugopal Naik win the election. “The question will remain unanswered, as it is difficult to say at this juncture how people will accept a candidate merely based on sympathy. Therefore, apart from sympathy, we have to work hard to retain our constituency,” a party worker said.
Development plank
On the other hand, the BJP leaders contend that they will go to the voters on the basis of development works carried out. “We will convince the voters of the development works taken up during the previous period served by Narasimha Naik as MLA. Gundalagera and Devatkal lift irrigation projects and drinking water supply in Shorapur City Municipal Council limits under the Jal Jeevan Mission and other development works will be showcased to help the BJP defeat the Congress,” BJP spokesperson H.C. Patil has said.
