Hubballi: Kundgol, one of the seven assembly constituencies in the district, has the lowest voters, but highest problems.

Except for one time, the voters of the constituency have never elected the sitting MLA in the assembly elections. It means, sitting MLAs winning from here is a rare phenomena.

Agriculture is the main profession of the people here. Black soil has increased the fertility and prospects of the agriculture in the taluk. But, water crisis has badly affected the life of the people.

The constituency, which includes 32 villages of Hubballi taluk, has a total of 1.83 lakh voters.

Agriculture projects and drinking water have always been the main poll issues here. Schemes like farm loan waiver has made major impact on this constituency. As this constituency is reserved for general category candidates, voters here have shown generosity by electing leaders from all classes.

People of Valmiki community are less in number in the cosntituency. But Govindappa Juttal, who belonged to this community, got elected in 1989. Panchamsali Lingayats are the highest in number, followed by Muslims and Kurubas.

Except in 1957 and 1962 elections, when T K Kambali got elected, the voters have elected new faces in all the assembly elections. Women have not represented this constituency so far.

Previous election

The constituency had 1.31 lakh voters in 2013, and 77.08% voting was registered in the last assembly election.

A total of 11 candidates had contested and C S Shivalli of the Congress got elected. This time, C S Shivalli and M S Akki are likely to contest on the Congress and the JDS tickets, respectively. S I Chikkangoudar, M R Patil, and Shithikantheshwar are trying for the BJP ticket.

No water, roads

Black soil, and scorching sun are the highlights of the constituency.

There are enough number of tanks and pure drinking water units.

But, they have never quenched the thirst of the people of the constituency. Tanks are filled with silt and technical snags have forced a majority of the pure drinking water units to close down.

Kundagol town is getting water once in 15 days. Several concrete roads in the town have been badly damaged.

The agri-based industries, as promised by the government, have not yet started functioning.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah distributed title deeds to 397 persons under the proposed Navagram Scheme in the town. But, in the 10 acre land reserved for this purpose, nothing has moved so far, Shankar Chiknarthi alleged.

Voters unhappy

Voters expressed unhappiness that even Yaraguppi, which gave two MLAs, didn’t have proper connecting roads even today.

Yaraguppi is known as political power centre in Kundagol taluk as two leaders from this village got elected four times as MLAs.

Mallikarjun Akki from this village got elected in 1994 and 2004 on JDS and JDU tickets, respectively. C S Shivalli, who is also from this village, got elected as MLA in 1999 (as an independent), and in 2013 (on Congress ticket). The village has 4,000 population.

MLA C S Shivalli said, as many as 1,800 farm ponds had been constructed in the constituency.

He said, he had laid foundation stone for the permanent drinking water projects, and for setting up of a 33 kv power transmission centre at Gudageri and 110 kv power transmission centre at Hirekuni.

“Kundgol has got the highest funds under the Chief 
Minister’s Relief Fund,” he said.