‘Go Back Ashok’ campaign: Minister out of Mandya

It is said local BJP leaders want someone from the district to be made in-charge. Ashok may be popular in Padmanabhan - agar in Bengaluru but he would be unaware of the political undercurrents in Mandya, they contend

Shyam Sundar Vattam | NT

Bengaluru: With posters springing up in Mandya City saying ‘Go Back Ashok’, the state BJP decided to effect a change of the district incharge for this high voltage district that has hitherto been the battle - ground for two parties, the Congress and Janata Dal (Secular).

Recently, a day before Revenue Minister R.Ashok’s visit to Mandya district in connection with the inauguration of a slew of development works by Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, the posters sprang up much to the embarrassment of the minister concerned and the BJP. On being asked about the ‘anti-Ashok’ campaign, the CM dismissed it as the handiwork of some miscreants or a few disgruntled elements in the BJP.

Since then Ashok has stopped visiting Mandya and had been supervising party affairs from Bengaluru. The BJP leaders do not know why there is so much opposition to Ashok being made the in-charge of the district since he belongs to the Vokkaliga community which is the deciding factor in all elections.

The BJP had made J.C.Madhuswamy the incharge during the KR Pet bypoll but he was soon replaced by Dr C.N. Ashwath Narayana. The party tried, tested, and dropped Dr C. Narayanagowda also as his popularity was restricted only to KR Pet taluk. It is said that local BJP leaders want someone from the district to be made in-charge instead of an outsider.

According to them, Ashok may be popular in Padma - nabhanagar constituency in Bengaluru but he would be unaware of the political undercurrents in Mandya. The party workers reportedly have no objection to Gopalaiah but don’t want Ashok as in-charge of Mandya. The BJP is determined to open its account in this Vokkaliga dominated district as it has not won in any of the elections held here so far except the KR Pet by - poll in 2019.

So, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, and BJP National President J.P.Nadda have given a target to the state unit to win at least 30-35 seats from south Karnataka districts in the coming Assembly polls. This means state leaders must win 3-4 seats in Mandya by any means. For this reason, the leaders are searching for a suitable leader who can change the fortunes of the BJP, particularly in this southern district.

Mandya MP Sumalatha Ambareesh has reportedly not made up her mind to join the BJP yet and in the absence of a strong Vokkaliga community leader in the district, the saffron party is left clueless about how to better its Assembly poll prospects.