Representative image
BENGALURU: BJP and Congress are scrambling to shortlist candidates for bypolls to the Belagavi Lok Sabha constituency and Basavakalyan and Maski assembly segments. The elections are likely to be held in late February or early March, and it will be another high-voltage clash after the recent Sira and RR Nagar contests.
The main parties will be eager to test their message and reach as they start early preparations for the 2023 assembly elections.
There is considerable interest in the Belagavi race as the district has often been the epicentre of Karnataka politics. Both BJP and Congress camps here are led by strong local politicians. BJP is thought to have the edge as it currently holds six of the eight assembly segments in the constituency.