3 ex-CMs from NDA in poll fray heats up campaign scene in Congress-ruled Karnataka

Of the total 28 Lok Sabha seats in Karnataka, BJP is contesting in 25 and JD(S), which joined the NDA in September last year, in three.

There have been a total of 23 chief ministers of Karnataka (known as the Mysore state before 1 November, 1973) since 1947; 14 of them have also served as members of the Lok Sabha, and two of the Rajya Sabha.

Seven of them — KC Reddy, Kengal Hanumanthaiah, Veerendra Patil, Gundu Rao, S Bangarappa, Veerappa Moily, and BS Yediyurappa — shifted to national politics by becoming MPs after demitting the office.

An equal number became chief minister after their stint as Parliamentarians — S Nijalingappa, HD Deve Gowda, JH Patel, SM Krishna, N Dharam Singh, HD Kumaraswamy, and DV Sadananda Gowda.

SR Bommai and Ramakrishna Hegde had their Parliamentary innings as members of the Rajya Sabha.

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Bommai and Shettar

Basavaraj Bommai is making his debut in the Lok Sabha polls, almost a year after BJP fared poorly in the Assembly polls held in May last year, when he was at the helm.

Currently an MLA from Shiggaon, the son of Janata Pariwar stalwart late SR Bommai is contesting from the Haveri Lok Sabha seat.

The 64-year-old had stepped in as the chief minister largely due to the backing of Yediyurappa, who was asked by the BJP central leadership to step down in July 2021. Bommai, a four-time MLA, was chief minister from 2021 to 2023.

According to party insiders, he stands a chance of being part of the Modi Cabinet in the event of the BJP-led NDA returning to power.

Shettar is fielded from Belgaum (Belagavi), represented by BJP’s Mangala Angadi, the widow of former Union Minister of State Suresh Angadi. Shettar, who hails from the Hubballi-Dharwad region, is a relative of the Angadi family.

The 68-year-old former state BJP president had quit the party to join Congress ahead of the state Assembly polls last year after being denied a ticket, in a setback to BJP in the Lingayat belt. He returned to BJP in January.

Shettar was initially reluctant about contesting from Belagavi and wanted Dharwad, which BJP has given to sitting MP Pralhad Joshi.

During the 2012 political turbulence and factionalism within the ruling BJP in Karnataka, Shettar emerged as the consensus candidate, and with the support of various factions went on to become the chief minister for a brief period, replacing Sadananda Gowda.

BJP lost the 2013 Assembly polls and Shettar became the Leader of Opposition. During BJP’s second stint in government in 2019, Shettar served as a minister under Yediyurappa, but opted out from being Minister under Bommai, citing seniority.

Shettar, a six-time MLA who also served as MLC for three months, had served as the chief minister for 10 months between 2012 and 2013.  Shettar is also contesting a Lok Sabha election for the first time.

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Kumaraswamy

“I will be the king and not the kingmaker,” Kumaraswamy had said in the run-up to the Assembly polls in 2018. His words turned prophetic as the Vokkaliga leader occupied the chief minister’s post for the second time, despite his JD(S) finishing a poor third in the polls. It was a coalition government with Congress.

But his tenure was short-lived as the wobbly coalition government that he headed collapsed after 13 months in power. Kumaraswamy had earlier served as the chief minister for 20 months from 2006 as the head of a JD(S)-BJP government.

Kumaraswamy forayed into electoral politics by successfully contesting the Kanakapura Lok Sabha seat in 1996. Subsequently, he lost both the Lok Sabha and Assembly elections but was elected to the Assembly for the first time in 2004, when JD(S) joined the coalition government led by Congress’ Dharam Singh after the polls threw up a hung House.

In 2006, he rebelled and walked out of the coalition with 42 MLAs reportedly against the wish of his father, citing a threat to the party, and formed the government with BJP, becoming the CM during his very first term as MLA.

Under a rotational chief ministership arrangement, he helmed the state for 20 months.

When BJP’s turn for chief ministership came, he reneged on the promise to transfer power, and brought down the Yediyurappa government within seven days.

In the 2008 Assembly polls, BJP came to power. In 2009, Kumaraswamy successfully contested the Lok Sabha polls from Bangalore Rural.

The five-time MLA now represents the Channapatna seat. The 64-year-old has made no secret of his desire to become the agriculture minister if the Modi government comes back to power.

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