In Karnataka, the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) is largely maintaining its stronghold with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) taking a lead in 16 parliamentary constituencies, and its alliance partner Janata Dal (Secular) (JDS) leading in two constituencies. However, Indian National Congress (INC) is putting up a spirited fight as it leads in 10 constituencies. 

The BJP has largely retained its leading presence in south and coastal Karnataka. Leaders Ramesh Jigajinagi from Bijapur, PC Gaddigoudar from Bagalkot, Jagadish Shettar from Belgaum, former Karnataka CM Basavaraj Bommai from Haveri, Prahlad Joshi from Dharwad, Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri from Uttara Karnataka are leading. 

The party has also gained a significant base across Bengaluru, with players like CN Manjunath contesting from Bengaluru Rural, Shobha Karandlaje from Bengaluru North and Tejasvi Surya from Bengaluru South. 

The Congress, which won the Assembly elections a year ago, is also gaining ground in the Lok Sabha elections, unlike in 2019. Some of its leaders in the fray are leading. Its lone Muslim candidate, Mansoor Ali Khan, is leading against the BJP’s three-time winner PC Mohan. Shreyas M Patel, grandson of the late Congress leader G Puttaswamy Gowda is leading against rape-accused Prajwal Revanna, in Hassan, which is the JDS’ family borough. 

Further, Sunil Bose is leading in Chamarajanagar, Prabha Mallikarjun in Davanagere, E Tukaram in Bellary, Sagar Khandre in Bidar, Radhakrishna in Gulbarga, Priyanka Jarkiholi in Chikkodi, Kumar Naik in Raichur, and Rajshekar Hitnal in Koppal. 

JDS, on the other hand, is leading in Mandya and Kolar with HD Kumaraswamy and Mallesh Babu, respectively. 

Compared to the previous Lok Sabha polls, the Congress has improved its performance this election season. In the 2019 general elections, Karnataka was a clean sweep for the BJP. As the “Modi factor” solidified then, BJP won 25 seats, an independent candidate supported by the BJP won, and the Congress and JDS won just one each. 

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