It’s Savadi vs Kumathalli again in Athani, but with parties flipped

In Athani, BJP’s Laxman Savadi and Congress’ Mahesh Kumathalli are facing each other again, this time contesting from the parties they opposed in the previous election. The BJP is confident the Lingayat vote bank will stay loyal while Savadi is counting on goodwill to counter Ramesh Jarkiholi?s political clout and ‘wealth’. The assembly segment comprises around 2.20 lakh voters, of which around a lakh are Lingayats.