PM ensures KSE, Ramdas who were denied tickets, join roadshow

Shyam Sundar Vattam | NT

Mysuru: In what seems to be a carefuly devised strategy to woo voters of Mysuru, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday took with him three leaders belonging to different communities on the four-km roadshow which evoked a good response in Mysuru.

While former minister and Shivamogga City MLA, K.S.Eshwarappa, a Kuruba leader was on the right side of Modi, another former minister, and Krishnaraja MLA S.A.Ramdas, a Brahmin was on the left and Mysuru-Kodagu BJP MP Pratap Simha, a Vokkaliga was also present.

The saffron party knows well that these three communities play an important role in two Assembly constituencies in the city and in two of the rural seats too. The Kuruba voters have been backing former CM Siddaramaiah, and the BJP wants to wean them away to help its candidates. Similarly, the Brahmin voters are in sizeable numbers in Krishnaraja constituency and the BJP wants them on its side.

Vokkaliga voters are the deciding factor in Chamaraja constituency. The BJP had declined to give the ticket to Eshwarappa because of the age factor and to Ramdas following opposition from various Brahmin associations this time. To assuage the feelings of these communities, the party worked out a strategy to make them go with the PM on the road show.

Though, Eshwarappa has no links with the city whatsoever, he was still given the honour of accompanying Modi during the roadshow to keep the Kurubas in good stead. As for Ramdas, his supporters had gathered in front of his office and demanded that he must contest as an independent candidate to teach a lesson to the BJP after he was denied the ticket.

After the initial disappointment, Ramdas has swung into action holding door-to-door campaigns in Krishnaraja in support of the candidate, Srivatsa. Home Minister Amit Shah reportedly told Ramdas to help the party win as the candidate was new to electoral politics. Agreeing to it, the MLA has been visiting all areas in the constituency.