PM, UP CM roadshows could result in two seats for BJP in Mandya

Shyam Sundar Vattam | NT

Bengaluru: The ruling BJP is likely to open its account in the Vokkaliga dominant Mandya district by winning at least two of the total seven Assembly seats in the Assembly polls slated to be held on May 10. There have been visible changes among the voters of Mandya after Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a roadshow in the City on March 12 during the opening of the sixlane Bengaluru-Mysuru Expressway.

Thousands of people stationed themselves on both sides of the road to see the PM from close quarters. All these years, finding candidates was difficult for the BJP as the district had been a strong fortress of the Congress party for many decades and was later conquered by the Janata Dal (Secular).

Since then, the fight has always been between those two parties and the BJP was totally out of the picture. For the first time in the history of Mandya, the BJP won the KR Pet seat in the 2019 by-election after sitting JDS MLA C Narayanagowda resigned from the party and joined the BJP that necessitated the bypoll. In the last six months, the BJP has been fully focusing on Mandya district by sanctioning all projects in Mandya and releasing crores of rupees to make Mysugar, a prestigious sugar factory started by the Maharajas of Mysuru, functioning for the benefit of sugarcane growers.

The saffron party received a shot in the arm when Independent candidate MP Sumalatha Ambareesh extended her support to the BJP and agreed to campaign for the party candidates in the May 10 Assembly polls. Two days ago, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath held a roadshow in Mandya to woo voters and also addressed a public meeting at the Silver Jubilee Park, which was attended by a good number of people.

The BJP has given a ticket to Ashok Jayram, the son of former minister late SD Jayram, who is held in high esteem by the people of Mandya, from the Mandya City constituency. Ashok started visiting the constituency long ago and completed two rounds of interaction with the voters. His father’s charisma and the BJP wave may help the saffron party wrest the seat. Campaigning by Sumalatha Ambareesh is helping him a lot.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah has set a target of 2-3 seats from Mandya out of the total 40 seats in South Karnataka. It looks like the people who have seen the functioning of the Congress and JDS want to give a chance to the BJP. If everything goes as per the calculations of the BJP leaders, the saffron party may register its first victory from the Mandya soil by bagging the Mandya City seat.

Sports Minister C Narayanagowda is making all efforts to repeat the 2019 bypoll show in the general election to be held on May 10. He has been touring the constituency for the last 20-25 days to woo voters. Former CM BS Yediyurappa, who hails from the Bhukanakere village in KR Pet taluk, has promised to come and campaign for Narayanagowda to try to transfer the whole block of Lingayat votes to him.

The BJP candidate had plans to jump to the Congress before the announcement of the election date but decided to stay back in the party following assurances of the Delhi leaders. The BJP has given tickets to Dr Indresh Kumar (Melukote), SP Swamy (Maddur), Induvalu Sachidananda (Srirangapatna), Sudha Shivaramegowda (Nagamangala) and Muniraju (Malavalli). It hopes to win the KR Pet and Mandya City seats.

Dissidence

Dissidence prevailed in the district Congress unit following the denial of tickets suggested by senior leader MS Atmanand and for the same reason the Congress fell flat in front of the JDS by losing in all the seven seats. This may be an added advantage for the saffron party. The installation of 100-foot statue of Nadaprabhu Kempegowda near Bengaluru International Airport and a hike in the reservation for Vokkaligas may prove advantageous to the BJP. But the mood of Mandya voters will be known only on May 13 when the EVMs are opened for the counting of votes