As Bengaluru Votes on 26 April, Can Congress Breach the BJP Stronghold?

As Karnataka holds a significant importance in the BJP’s electoral strategy within South India, the battle is one between the 'Modi factor' and BJP's 'development' narrative vs the Congress' five guarantee scheme.

(Photo: Vibhushita Singh/The Quint)

Karnataka is of paramount importance to the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP's) electoral strategy within South India, with the party having secured 25 of the 28 seats in the previous Lok Sabha elections.

Within Karnataka, for nearly two decades, the BJP has dominated three of the four Lok Sabha seats across Bengaluru.

As the people of Bengaluru cast their votes for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections on Friday, 26 April – nearly a year after the Congress' win in the Karnataka Assembly elections – which way will voters sway?

The Quint takes a closer look at the four constituencies.

Bengaluru South: Tejasvi Surya vs Sowmya Reddy

With an electorate of over 22 lakh, the Bengaluru South constituency has been the BJP's fiefdom for 28 years. The constituency is dominated by the Brahmin and Vokkaliga communities. In the 2023 Assembly elections, the BJP won five seats and the Congress three.

This time, incumbent BJP MP Tejasvi Surya, one of the party's staunch Hindutva faces, is taking on Sowmya Reddy, daughter of Karnataka's Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy, who lost the 2023 Assembly polls from Jayanagar by 16 votes.

Can Sowmya Reddy beat Tejasvi Surya this time? Voters to decide on 26 April

(Graphic: Aroop Mishra/The Quint)

If Tejasvi's campaign revolved around the "Deshakke Modi, Dakshinakke Surya (Modi for India, Surya for South)" slogan, Sowmya focused on the "Chombu" (empty vessel) metaphor which explains the state's alleged discontent over "neglect by the central government," and the BJP's "communal" narrative.

The Congress is banking on Ramalinga Reddy's political experience and acumen to win from this constituency. A powerful and influential politician, Ramalinga has a strong grip over BTM Layout and Jayanagar constituencies.

Can Sowmya Reddy beat Tejasvi Surya this time? What do voters have to say about Tejasvi's 'communal' rhetoric in his speeches? Read our story to find out.

Bengaluru North: Shobha Karandlaje vs Rajeev Gowda

Bengaluru North has consistently elected a BJP candidate since 2004 – and all of them, incidentally, were originally not from this constituency and were considered 'outsiders'.

This year, the fight is between the BJP's Shobha Karandlaje, a firebrand Hindutva leader, and Congress' Prof MV Rajeev Gowda, a Wharton-educated academic.

While Gowda is a former Rajya Sabha MP, Karandlaje is the sitting MP from Udupi-Chikmagalur and Union minister of state for agriculture and farmers welfare.

While Gowda is a former Rajya Sabha MP, Karandlaje is the sitting MP from Udupi-Chikmagalur and Union minister of state for agriculture and farmers' welfare.

(Graphic: Aroop Mishra/The Quint)

In this constituency, the Vokkaliga community makes up a quarter of the electorate – and both candidates belong to the same community.

While the BJP leader, known for her hate speeches, has been quick to cash in on PM Modi's popularity, Gowda has been raising the “injustice” meted out to Karnataka by the Centre, and has pointed to his experience as an academic and policy-maker.

Read our ground report where we look at Karandlaje's ride and her hate politics.

Bengaluru Rural: DK Suresh vs Dr CN Manjunath

Bengaluru Rural is the only Lok Sabha constituency in Karnataka that the Congress won in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. It has an electorate comprising around 70 percent Vokkaligas and 15 percent Muslims.

The constituency will witness a high-profile battle between two influential Vokkaliga families in Karnataka – incumbent Congress MP DK Suresh, Karnataka's Deputy CM DK Shivakumar's brother, and JD(S) supremo HD Deve Gowda's son-in-law and cardiologist Dr CN Manjunath, who is contesting on a BJP ticket.

This time, the constituency is set to witness a high-profile battle between two of the most influential Vokkaliga families.

(Graphic: Aroop Mishra/The Quint)

In terms of Assembly constituencies, the Congress has five MLAs from this constituency, BJP has two, and the JD(S) one.

While the BJP is banking on PM Modi's popularity in three urban segments – Bangalore South, Rajarajeshwarinagar, and Anekal – the JD(S) hopes to deliver in the rural pockets like Channapatna, where HD Kumaraswamy is the sitting MLA.

The Congress, meanwhile, is banking heavily on DK Shivakumar's personal appeal and the track record of DK Suresh, who is seeking re-election for the fourth time.

Bengaluru Central: PC Mohan vs Mansoor Ali Khan

The Bengaluru Central Lok Sabha constituency, which houses some of the big IT companies, has been the BJP's stronghold since its creation in 2008.

This time, three-time BJP MP PC Mohan is facing off against Congress' Mansoor Ali Khan, an educationist, who is the sole Muslim candidate from national parties in the fray from Karnataka.

BJP's three-time MP PC Mohan is fighting against Congress' Mansoor Ali Khan in Bengaluru Central

(Graphic: Aroop Mishra/The Quint)

The Congress aims to score high in the five Assembly constituencies it holds, which includes Shivajinagar, Shanthinagar, Sarvagnanagar, Chamarajpet and Gandhinagar.

While four of the five seats have a strong minority population, two – CV Raman Nagar and Mahadevapura – of the three seats with the BJP are reserved for Scheduled Castes.

The BJP is heavily banking on Mohan's track record and connection with the people in the constituency and is confident of retaining the seat.

A total of 14 constituencies from Karnataka will vote on Friday, 26 April. This includes Udupi Chikmagalur, Hassan, Dakshina Kannada, Chitradurga, Tumkur, Mandya, Mysore, Chamarajanagar, Chikkballapur and Kolar. The rest of the constituencies will vote in the third phase, slated for 7 May.