Together in triumph, Gulbarga’s political twins aim high

A Congress victory in the state will put Kharge within striking distance of becoming the second chief minister from Gulbarga—close on the heels of his political twin’s brief tenure in 2004 with the support of Devegowda.

For the time being, however, Dharam Singh and Kharge are focused on new political challenges that have come up in their respective constituencies of Jewargi and Chittapur.

Singh is up against BJP candidate Shivalingappa Patil Naribol, who, he says, has access to funds from BJP’s Bellary mining magnate Janardhan Reddy. In Chitappur, roughly 75 km away from Jewargi, Kharge is contesting in a brand new constituency after winning on eight occasions from neighboring Gurmitkal.

Publicly, however, both Singh and Kharge are exuding confidence. “This is like any other election for me. Probably easier than many in the past,” said Dharam Singh, struggling to combat the blistering Gulbarga heat on the last day of campaigning on Tuesday. Still mentally sharp, Singh has ruled out early retirement. “Bangarappa (one of the other undefeated soldiers of the electoral battlefield) is 76 and still in politics. I have some more years to go,” he said.

At a small election meeting behind the weekly local market in Jewargi town, Singh welcomed the return of a prodigal Congress worker Monu Tailor and spoke in Hindi and Kannada as he asked people to vote the Congress to keep the BJP out.

A Rajput, Singh has very little community base to fall back on. He has built his electoral victories on the strength of his ability to carry along all communities in the region.

On the other hand, Kharge moved to Chittapur, a reserved and underdeveloped constituency, after his home constituency was removed from the list reserved for scheduled castes this time.

In private conversations, he has referred to his alliance with Chittapur as being similar to an arranged marriage. “I don’t see any difference in the way people respond to me. Chittapur feels like my old constituency. This is like any other election for me,” says Kharge who broke down when people from his old constituency came to plead with him to stay on.

In public, Kharge, who has held every possible ministerial portfolio in the state, shows no eagerness for the Chief Minister’s chair. He maintains the party line. He only promises to develop Chittapur like Gurmitkal.

Even if the elections throw up a hung assembly on May 25 and a government is just out of the reach of the Congress, the Lav and Kush of Gulbarga know they will be holding some crucial cards.