The ruling BJP waited until the last day to announce its candidate for Shivamogga constituency, which often hits the headlines for communal violence. Eventually the saffron party picked S.N. Channabasappa, who once went to jail for his hate speech against former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.
Once the centre for farmers’ struggles and activities of the Dalit organisations, the nature of politics has changed vastly in Shivamogga.
