Lok Sabha Elections 2024: G Kumar Naik of the Congress party won in the Karnatakas Raichur constituency with a margin of 79,781 votes defeating Raja Amareshwara of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Raichur is one of Karnatakas 28 Lok Sabha constituencies and is reserved for the scheduled tribes. It encompasses parts of Raichur and Yadgir districts. It comprises eight assembly seats: Shorapur, Shahpur, Yadgir, Raichur Rural, Raichur, Manvi, Devadurga, and Lingasugur. Among these, four seats (Shorapur, Raichur Rural, Manvi, Devadurga) are reserved for Scheduled Tribes, and one seat (Lingasugur) is reserved for Scheduled Castes. Initially part of the Hyderabad state, the Raichur Lok Sabha seat witnessed Krishnacharya Joshi from Congress securing victory. Upon its integration into Karnataka in 1977, Rajashekhar Mayappa from Congress emerged victorious.Key issues in the Raichur Lok Sabha constituencyBJP vs Congress on Welfare Schemes: The BJP criticizes the Congress for disrupting Karnatakas fiscal stability with its five guarantees. Former CM Basavaraj Bommai accused the Congress of pushing the state towards bankruptcy and discontinuing the Kisan Samman Nidhi and Vidya Nidhi schemes.Communal Tension: There is big tension between the Hindu and Muslim communities, fueled by differing views on Tipu Sultans legacy. Incidents, such as the desecration of a portrait of Tipu Sultan and clashes over social media posts, have exacerbated communal discord.Water Contamination: Water contamination remains a severe issue, with high fluoride levels in groundwater causing health problems like asthma. A district health department study reported increased ailments due to drinking borewell water.Industrial Pollution: Raichurs industrial area, with its high density of chemical industries, faces severe pollution. Untreated effluents are discharged into water bodies and fields, causing air and water contamination that affects local communities.Droughts: Despite being near major rivers, Raichur suffers from droughts and erratic rainfall. Efforts to mitigate the water crisis have fallen short, leading to continued water scarcity.Electricity: Although Raichur generates a significant portion of Karnatakas electricity, the region suffers from power shortages and load shedding. Rural areas receive only six hours of electricity daily, causing frustration among residents.Farmer Issues: Prolonged droughts have led to crop failures and lack of crop insurance. Farmers demand better irrigation coverage and fairer prices, criticizing the existing mandi system and APMCs for being exploitative.Unemployment and Emigration: High unemployment has driven many youth to seek jobs in urban centers or migrate to Maharashtra. Underemployment remains a problem, with educated individuals returning home to take menial jobs.Health Facilities: While urban Raichur has adequate healthcare options, rural areas suffer from insufficient facilities. Water contamination has led to widespread health issues, overwhelming existing healthcare services. There is also disappointment over the absence of an AIIMS in the region.Connectivity: Poor railway and highway connectivity hampers economic growth. Rural roads are in disrepair, and Raichurs small airport lacks commercial flight connections. The nearest airport is in Hyderabad, 190 km away, despite recent pledges for development.Cast equations In the 2019 Lok Sabha election, the Raichur Lok Sabha constituency boasted a total of 19,27,758 voters. Among them, urban voters accounted for 27%, while the majority, constituting 73%, hailed from rural areas. In terms of social composition, Scheduled Castes (SC) made up 21.7% of the electorate, closely followed by Scheduled Tribes (ST) at 18.1%. Meanwhile, Hindus comprised approximately 83% of the voters, while Muslims represented 16.8% of the electorate.Raichur Lok Sabha Election Results 2019In the 2019 general elections, Raja Amareshwara Naik of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) secured victory by receiving 53.21% of the votes, defeating B V Naik of the Indian National Congress (INC), who gained 42.75%. The voter turnout for the 2019 elections was 60.1%. The upcoming Karnataka Lok Sabha elections are scheduled for April 26, 2024 (covering 14 seats), and May 4, 2024 (covering the remaining 14 seats). According to the 2011 Census, Raichur has a literacy rate of 77.65%, with male literacy at 85.15% and female literacy at 70.13%.History of Raichur Lok Sabha seatCongresss BV Desai won the elections of 1980 and 1984. In 1989, R Ambanna Naik Dore of Congress, in 1991, A Venkatesh Naik from Congress, and in 1996, Raja Rangappa Naik from Janata Dal clinched victory. A Venkatesh Naik then secured wins in the elections of 1998, 1999, and 2004. The BJP tasted success for the first time in 2009 with Sanna Pakirappa. In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, Raja Amresh Nayak of BJP emerged victorious with 5,98,337 votes, while Congresss B.V Nayak secured second place with 4,80,621 votes. In 2014, Congress narrowly defeated BJP by 1499 votes, with Congresss candidate BV Nayak receiving 4,43,659 votes and BJPs Shivanagouda Nayak receiving 4,42,160 votes.
