Who Will Be Elected As The Next MLA from Khanapur?

Every new election is a fresh election no matter whatever the margin of victory of the winning candidate. No candidate can be 100% confident of his victory because of past results. The winning candidate might have some advantage, but this is not a guarantee to success. Every election has the uncanny ability of throwing up surprises and the assembly elections ahead will prove the same. Caste factor is always the dominant theme even in today’s 21^st century India, and the same is played out election after election across the length and breadth of the country.

There are three things that matter in an election year. The first is to emerge as the frontrunner in getting the seat from the said party; the second is to win the confidence of the party cadre in the area, and thirdly, the right strategy to be followed to emerge victorious in the elections. What the development agenda is and the vision the candidate has for the constituency also matters most.

But the current ground report from Khanapur assembly segment is a different picture. Elections have become a platform for ego battles and settling scores and the same is clearly seen in the taluk. Posters, banners and large hoardings of leaders smiling at the people can be found at strategic well placed locations in the taluk. The voters are thrilled and happy to be entertained and the same will continue in the days ahead.

The major political parties in the state are: BJP, INC, JD(S), JD (U), BSP, and the MES is the most dominant political party in Khanapur taluk. There were far too many independent candidates who contested in the 2013 assembly elections and they too got a considerable number of votes. The independent candidates come in the nuisance value category and end up eating the votes and so the margin of victory for the winning candidate is considerably reduced. The other serious problem political parties facing today is the problem of plenty. In a much sought after national party there are seven to eight ticket aspirants for one seat and the supply (of candidates) is in excess of demand.

There were a total of 14 candidates in the poll fray who contested from Khanapur constituency in the 2013 assembly elections.

The total number of votes counted in Khanapur: 1,34, 896.

Below are given the number of votes the candidates from regional and national parties who got more than 10,000 votes.

16, 021 votes

15,052 votes

20,903 votes

14,502 votes

17,686 votes respectively

The winning candidate got 37,055 votes.

A total of eight other candidates got: 654, 869, 1332, 1612, 1728, 1988, 2401 and 3087 votes respectively.  The above figures clearly highlights the voting pattern and the division of votes.

There are candidates from every community in the large Khanapur taluk who are seeking tickets and doing their best to get a chance to contest in the upcoming assembly elections to be held soon. Some of the aspirants are informing the voters the good work they have doing in the constituency for the last five years. The poll season is picking up pace and during canvassing, leaders from mainstream political parties will visit Khanapur and do everything possible to win the maximum number of seats and form the next government. The voters have not yet made their minds as to whom they will vote and are eagerly waiting for the candidates to be declared. But the voter knows what is good for them and will choose their preferred candidate on the day of voting.