Bengaluru: Mysuru-Kodagu and adjoining Chamarajanagar reserve Lok Sabha constituencies in the South Karnataka region are attracting undue attention not because of being neighbours. It is because of the significance they get connected with Siddaramaiah, the incumbent Chief Minister and a native of Mysuru district while Varuna, the constituency he represents in the state Assembly is also one of the constituents of Chamarajanagar reserved Lok Sabha constituency.
Outcome crucial to continue as a CM: Both constituencies are being represented by the Bharatiya Janata Party members in the outgoing Parliament. Former State and Union Minister V Sreenivasprasad is Chamarajanagar MP and Prathap Simha represents Mysuru-Kodagu and both of them have been denied tickets to contest. S Balaraj is the BJP candidate and Sunil Bose is the INC aspirant in Chamarajanagar. On the other hand, Yaduveer Wadiyar, the scion of the erstwhile Mysuru dynasty and M Lakshman are the contenders from BJP and INC respectively. The outcome of these constituencies is considered crucial for Siddaramaiah to continue in his present position.
Why are these constituencies crucial? Balakrishna, Mysuru Bureau Chief of Samayukta Karnataka opines-“Dr Yathindra, son of the chief minister had made a mention of the significance of winning in these constituencies for his father to continue as the chief minister, much before elections were announced. Then the subject paved the way for discussion in the political circles. Now, going by the hectic campaign of the CM, you can understand the seriousness attached to these constituencies…
…BJP geared up for the challenge: Even the BJP has equally taken the challenge seriously by nominating the Mysuru scion. Not only that, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and former prime minister and Janata Dal Secular party patriarch HD Devegowda were made to participate at a public rally in Mysuru. Yaduveer Wadiyar, a novice to politics had initially rejected rumours of joining politics but has jumped into the fray suddenly surprising everyone by becoming the BJP candidate. Yaduveer Wadiyar’s contest is construed to be a strategy of garnering the public sympathy towards the Mysuru royal kings in the old Mysuru region”.
Injustice to Vokkaligas: “Prathap Simha, the sitting BJP MP being denied a ticket to contest has become a subject for poll campaigning. Since the incumbent Parliamentarian belongs to the Vokkaliga community, the Congress party is trying to raise a hue and cry over the same. It has also been oft repeated by even the chief minister and the deputy chief minister. It may recalled here that the Vokkaliga vote share is decisive for a win and M Lakshman, INC candidate is a Vokkaliga. Added to this adverse predicament, whether Yaduveer Wadiyar capable enough in pulling over the Vokkaliga votes is the hot subject for discussion”, reveals Balakrishna.
Respect for the royal kinsmen: He also asserts-“There is no doubt that the people by and large have a great respect for the royal family and it is not for the first time a royal person is into the fray. Earlier also a scion had been elected as an MP from the same Mysuru-Kodagu Lok Sabha constituency. Although people belonging to the earlier generation have great reverence to the Yaduvansha royal family the same cannot be subscribed to the subsequent generation as they do not have the same emotional bonding. They are engrossed with their own woes like unemployment, price rise, educational problems, financial constraints and issues like that”.
Guarantees come to the fore: Balakrishna also makes a mention of the five guarantees of the Congress government and their impact on the lives of the people-“Gruhalakshmi, Gruha Jyothi, Anna Bhagya and other schemes of the Congress party government have brought in a change in the perceptions of the citizens. Hence, Congress is under the impression that all the five guarantees will come to their rescue during the polls. Our rural women are known for being grateful to the benefits extended to them. Going by this rationale, it may not be an exaggeration if Congress assumes that the guarantees will enable it to reach the shore”.
JDS aloof in campaigning: He also throws light on the peculiar situation on the ground-“Despite just a handful of days left for the polls there are complaints of the JDS not being in tandem at the village level. Even people are behaving like being unconnected with the present ongoings! They have become mature enough not to spell out their views in public. Maybe, people in the urban areas are outspoken in their support for the BJP, it is not the same in the rural areas.
Results revolve around CM’s chair! “However, the present question which is haunting the Congress circles is whether the results of these two constituencies will be able for Siddaramaiah to retain or lose his chief minister’s chair. Thanks to the infighting of groups within the party, it is also feared whether there could be a repeat of Koratagere-like debacle where Dr G Parameshwar, then KPCC President was defeated and the party triumphed in the state”, recalls Balakrishna.
Neck-to-neck fight: He signs off by claiming-“A few days have been left for polling. So it is too dicey to come to any conclusion as of now. But there appears to be neck to neck fight in Mysuru-Kodagu and Congress ahead in Chamarajanagar as of now. It is too difficult to conclude that the same conditions prevail until the polling day”.
-Manohar Yadavatti
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