Can JD(S) retain pole position in Vokkaliga bastion?

Controversies, speculations and verbal duels have become the staple of electioneering in the Old Mysuru region, a hotbed of dynastic politics.

Confusion within the JD(S) about Hassan, efforts to take credit by the BJP and the Congress for the Bengaluru-Mysuru Expressway and party-hopping are some pre-poll activities in the region.

The Old Mysuru region, a Vokkalika belt, has traditionally been a stronghold of JD(S) and Congress. The ruling BJP has sown its presence in a few pockets over the last couple of decades. However, the BJP is considered weak in the region, particularly Mandya.

Speculation about Youth Empowerment & Sports Minister K C Narayana Gowda, the KR Pet MLA, joining Congress and the frequent changes in the appointment of a Mandya district minister raise doubts about the BJP’s prospects. It remains to be seen what impact Mandya MP Sumalatha Ambareesh’s decision to support the BJP will have on the polls.

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The challenge now for the JD(S) is to retain its top position. The JD(S) depends on its vote base of Vokkaligas and the popularity of its supremo H D Deve Gowda among the community.

In Mandya, JD(S) has been dominant for a couple of decades. The regional outfit won all seven segments in Mandya in 2018. However, in 2019, Narayana Gowda quit JD(S) and got elected on the BJP’s ticket in a bypoll. Now, he is set to join the Congress. His bypoll opponent B L Devaraju of the JD(S), is also joining the Congress after JD(S) gave the ticket to H T Manju this time. Thus, the BJP faces the risk of losing its lone seat in Mandya.

In Hassan district, only Hassan segment is represented by the BJP through Preetham J Gowda. Now, there is some confusion in the JD(S), with Bhavani Revanna, a member of the party’s first family announcing her candidature. Former MLA H S Prakash’s son H P Swaroop is aspiring to be the JD(S) candidate.

Arsikere MLA K M Shivalinge Gowda’s decision to join the Congress is seen as a setback to the JD(S). Similarly, Arkalgud MLA A T Ramaswamy is also distancing himself from the JD(S). He might join the BJP.

“We will improve the numbers to 24 in the region. Both BJP and Congress are corrupt,” JD(S) spokesman N R Ravichandregowda said. He added, “The party will face the polls on the basis of Kumaraswamy’s contributions as CM, promise of quality education, healthcare and jobs.”

While chanting the ‘development’ mantra, the BJP is doing caste and religion calculations.

M Rajendra, vice-president of BJP, said their focus is to improve the party’s seats to 15 on the development plank. “We’ll highlight development works such as increasing train frequency, Mysuru-Bengaluru Express Highway and expanding the runway of Mysuru Airport. We assure the people that we would continue our development agenda,” he said.

With Leader of the Opposition Siddaramaiah deciding to contest from Kolar, the Chamundeshwari segment where he lost against G T Devegowda of the JD(S) has lost its charm. The contest in the neighbouring Varuna segment will become crucial if BJP vice-president B Y Vijayendra is pitched against the sitting MLA and Siddaramaiah’s son Dr Yathindra. Vijayendra wanted to contest from Varuna in the 2018 polls.

“We are confident of improving our tally to 15 in the region,” KPCC working president R Dhruvanarayana said. “People are disappointed with BJP. The state government is corrupt,” he said.

The turn of events is interesting in Krishnaraja (KR) segment of Mysuru city. BJP’s S A Ramadass has contested here six times since 1994, winning on four occasions. KR is considered an undeclared Brahmin segment as only twice since 1985 have voters sent a non-Brahmin to the Assembly. Brahmin organisations have urged all three parties to field a Brahmin. Besides, they have urged the BJP to field a new face, implying that they don’t want Ramadass.

“There will be a fight for party tickets, which will in turn have implications on the polls,” retired political science professor J Somashekar said. “The elections are not held on democratic values, in recent years. The only goal of the candidates and parties seems to win, by any means. The language the politicians use against each other is not democratic. Their conduct is not democratic,” he rued.