Bengaluru: Ahead of second phase of Lok Sabha elections for 14 Constituencies in the State on May 7, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi will be arriving on a campaign tour in the State on Apr. 28 and Apr. 26 respectively.

Modi will be addressing six rallies covering all the 14 LS Constituencies at North Karnataka considered as a BJP stronghold, followed by Karwar and Belagavi and Vijayapura, Koppal and Gulbarga (SC Reserved) Constituencies, where Congress has fielded new faces.

At Bidar, Union Minister Bhagwanth Khuba is seeking re-election, but Sagar Khandre son of Eshwar Khandre, Minister in CM Siddaramaiah’s Cabinet, is posing a tough fight. Similarly at Belagavi, former Chief Minster and BJP veteran Jagadish Shettar is sweating out against Minister Lakshmi Hebbalkar’s son Mrinal Hebbalkar of Congress.

Another sitting BJP MP Anna Saheb Jolle of Chikkodi has been facing a stiff contest from Priyanka Jarkiholi, daughter of Minister Satish Jarkiholi.

At Davangere, BJP MP G.M. Siddeshwara’s wife Gayatri Siddeshwara has been fielded in this election with Congress pitting Minister S.S. Mallikarjun’s wife Dr. Prabha Mallikarjun, both political greenhorns.

Amid this, BJP has suffered a setback in North Karnataka with the defection of sitting MP of Koppal Karadi Sanganna and former Minister Malikayya Guttedar into Congress. Guttedar, the six-time MLA, had played a key role in the drubbing of undefeated leader M. Mallikarjun Kharge in the previous LS polls held in 2019 from Gulbarga seat.

BJP is keen on consolidating its Lingayat vote bank, along with that of oppressed and backward classes, who have been the loyal to saffron party so far.

On the other hand, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi will be addressing public rallies at Belagavi and Ballari on Apr. 26. The rally at Ballari is scheduled to be held at Municipal Grounds in the evening. CM Siddaramaiah, Deputy CM D.K. Shivakumar, Central and State leaders are expected to attend the rally, it is said.