Karnataka Assembly elections 2023: A look at six major political regions

The battle to end coalition govt in the state has already begun with all three major political parties intensifying their approach to woo the voters

Karnataka, which is the seventh-largest legislative body in terms of strength, goes to poll on May 10, 2023. The elections will occur in a single phase for all 224 constituencies and the result will be announced on May 13. 

The battle to end coalition government in the state has already begun with all three major political parties - Congress, Bhartiya Janata Party, and Janata Dal (S) - intensifying their approach to woo the voters. In order to form a government single-handedly, a minimum of 113 seats is required by the winning party.

Ahead of the Assembly elections, here is everything you must know about the six major political regions of Karnataka:

The state of Karnataka is divided into 31 districts which are divided into six political regions, namely- Bengaluru region, Coastal Karnataka, Mumbai Karnataka, Hyderabad Karnataka, Central Karnataka, and Southern Karnataka.

According to Elections.in, each political region in the state of Karnataka is a composition of history, political dynamics, socio-cultural dynamics, and distinct caste equations, that dominates the politics in these regions. 

Bengaluru region: Because of its distinct voting pattern, Bengaluru is considered a separate region. The region is landlocked and bound by the Western Ghats. The Bengaluru region is religiously diverse, in which Hindus constitute the majority, followed by Muslims and Christians. The region comprises present-day districts of Bengaluru Urban and Bengaluru Rural. Since independence, the Bengaluru region has been a bastion of the Congress party, however, in the last few years, the voters have voted for candidates who are working for the development of the region. 

Coastal Karnataka: The Coastal Karnataka region is a 300-km long belt of coastline that has the Arabian Sea to its west and the Western Ghats surrounding it from the eastern side. The region includes three districts, namely- Dakshin Kannada, Udupi, and Uttara Kannada. Each of these districts follows a distinct political pattern. 

According to a Quint report, the Coastal Karnataka region is the only region in the state where Hindutva remains the biggest political issue and decider. It is also BJP's stronghold. 

Mumbai Karnataka: The Mumbai Karnataka region has been renamed to Kittur Karnataka region following the controversy surrounding it. This region comprises Belagavi, Hubbali-Dharwad, Gadag, Bagalkote, and Vijapura districts.

Belagavi district has been in the middle of a dispute between Mumbai and Karnataka for nearly six decades. According to a Business Standard report, the issue of the Maharashtra-Karnataka border dispute finds its origin in the State Reorganisation Act of 1956, which determined the borders of Indian states based on language. Karnataka was formed on November 1, 1956, and Maharashtra was created on May 1, 1960.

Since its reorganisation, Maharashtra has claimed that 856 villages should be part of its territory, not Karnataka. These include Belgavi, Karwar, and Nipani, says the report.

Hyderabad Karnataka: This region is also known as the Kalyan Karnataka region and it comprises six districts. Bordering Andhra Pradesh, it is one of the most underdeveloped regions in the state, claims Quint's report. It is dominated by the Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), and Muslim voters.

It consists of Kalburgi, Yadgir, Raichur, Koppal, and Ballari districts.

Central Karnataka: The region consists of Tumakuru, Davanagere, Haveri, Chitradurga, Shimoga, Raichur, and Koppal districts. It is often known as the land of seers and mutts, who will play a crucial role in the upcoming elections. According to an Indian Express report, along with a strong Lingayat influence, the region also has a strong SC/ST population that defines the demography of the four districts in this region.

Southern Karnataka: The region is often referred to as the Old Mysuru region and is bound by the sea and the Western Ghats in the east. According to a 2018 report in Quint, BJP has had a limited influence in the region. It consists of Mandya, Mysuru, Chamarajnagar, Ramanagaram, Hassan, Kolar, Tumkuru, Kodagu, and Chikkabalapur.