The 28 Lok Sabha constituencies in Karnataka have gone for elections a total of 440 times since 1951. The persons elected in these elections are around 250, many of them having won multiple times. Interestingly, several among them have been members of political dynasties. Repeat winners from powerful families is higher in northern Karnataka compared to south Karnataka. A total of 112 people have been elected in northern Karnataka (Kittur Karnataka and Kalyana Karnataka regions), while the number is 138 in southern Karnataka.
Family fiefdoms
Former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda has entered the Parliament five times since 1991. In 2019, his grandson Prajwal Revanna, now under investigation on alleged sexual abuse charges, won from Hassan, inheriting the seat from the grandfather.
Shivamogga has been held by two families since 1996 with one exception. Former Chief Minister S. Bangarappa was elected to the Parliament for the first time in 1996. He retained the seat despite moving to different parties until 2009, barring once in 1998. B.S. Yediyurappa, former Chief Minister, won in 2014. His son B.Y. Raghavendra won in 2009, 2018 bypoll and in 2019. Members of the same families are in the fray now, which goes to polls on May 7.
Members of BJP leader G. Mallikarjunappa family have won the Davangere seat six times. Mr. Mallikarjunappa won twice and his son G.M. Siddeshwara won four times. His wife Gayathri Siddeshwara is now contesting from the BJP. She is facing Prabha Mallikarjun, wife of Horticulture Minister S.S. Mallikarjun, who is son of senior Congress leader and MLA Shamanur Shivashankarappa.
Erstwhile royals rule
Erstwhile rulers of dynasties located in Karnataka have tested their popularity by contesting general elections many times. In Raichur, members of the erstwhile Surpur Bedar Nayak dynasty have dominated the politics of north-eastern Karnataka districts, mainly Yadgir, Raichur and Koppal. They have won 10 out of 19 elections till now. Leaders with connections to the family were members from 1989 to 2009.
The first member of the erstwhile royalty to become a public representative was Raja Venkatappa Naik who won as a candidate of the Swatantra Party in 1967. Raichur also had a taste of another royal house when M.Y. Ghorpade, prince of the erstwhile Sandur dynasty, won in 1986.
In Mysuru, the royal family had the chance to represent the people in parliament. Srikantadatta Narasimharaja Wadiyar was elected to Parliament four times. After his death, his wife Pramoda Devi Wadiyar adopted Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar, who is now contesting for Mysuru seat on the BJP ticket.
Record time winners
Karnataka has seen politicians who won from constituencies multiple times without a break. In Chikkodi, former Union Minister and senior Dalit leader B. Shankaranand won seven times. He was replaced by Ramesh Jigajinagi, who won three times. Mr. Jigajinagi won three more Lok Sabha polls from Vijayapura.
H.N. Ananth Kumar of the BJP was elected from Bengaluru South six times. V. Srinivas Prasad was elected to Lok Sabha from Chamarajanagar six times from different parties. In Kolar, senior Congress leader K.H. Muniyappa was elected seven times.
Dharwad has had the highest number of candidates winning multiple times. Senior advocate Sarojini Mahishi, D.K. Naikar and Prahlad Joshi have won four times and Vijay Sankeshwar three times.
