Karnataka Elections: A tightrope walk in Nanjangud and surrounding constituencies, as campaigns end

Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his campaign for Karnataka elections

Prime Minister Narendra Modi spared no theatrics in wooing the electorate nor did he hold back on his criticism of the Congress party, targeting the first family for special treatment, in his last election rally in Karnataka at Nanjangud on Sunday.

Yet, while the hardcore supporters in the crowd were vociferous, some were pragmatic about the chances of their party candidates in the 17 assembly segments of Mysore and Chamarajanagar districts speaking to this correspondent, especially in Nanjangud.

Unlike the Modi roadshow in Mysore, at this public rally the PM virtually
had all the candidates contesting from the two districts sharing the dais with him along with the two Lok Sabha members, V Srinivasa Prasad and Pratap Simha.

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Mysore city’s sitting Krishnaraja constituency MLA SA Ramadas, who despite being denied the party ticket for the ensuing polls was at the forefront of organising the event, was conspicuous by his absence on the podium.

At Nanjangud, Modi had a sizeable gathering of supporters and villagers, including those ferried, repeatedly responding to slogans of ‘Bajrang Bali ki Jai’, clearly in an effort at bringing the proposed ban of Bajrang Dal by the Congress to the front. He made a charged attack on the Congress first family picking on Sonia Gandhi’s statement that her party would protect the ‘sovereignty’ of Karnataka and termed it evidence of the Congress' efforts at dividing the country. He stopped the Kannada translation of his speech mid-way and continued in Hindi, lauding the gathering for agreeing with him to do so, and thereby targeting the criticism of the Bommai government for not recognising the Kannada flag. Lastly, the PM invoked all the deities – Goddess Chamundeshwari, Male Mahadeshwara and Nanjundeshwara – and religious Mutts – Adichunchanagiri, Suttar, Devanooru and Mallanamoole – of the region.
He concluded by promising to make Karnataka ‘No.1’ if the BJP ‘double engine’ government was voted to power, and with a visit to the heritage Srikanteshwara Temple of Nanjangud, to pray for strength to “withstand all the poison, Congress was spewing on him”.

Tough for BJP in Nanjangud

Yet amidst Modi’s repeated assertions in Kannada – “Ee Baariya Nirdharaa, BJPya Sarkaara” (Decision this time is a vote for a BJP government) – Devaraj of Nanjangud was candid about the party’s chances in Nanjangud assembly segment. Here the party’s sitting MLA and son-in-law of MP V Srinivasa Prasad, B Harshavardhan faces Darshan Dhruvanarayana of Congress, who is riding a sympathy wave having lost both his parents, his father being former MP R Dhruvanarayana, just prior to the elections. “It is tough”, Devaraj confided. BJP had gained the constituency from Congress in the last elections. In 2018, Harshavardhan of the BJP won the seat by defeating Kalale N Keshavamurthy of the Indian National Congress with a margin of 12,479 votes. Yet, Congress appears all set to wrest it back this time round through 27-year-old Darshan Dhruvanarayana.

BJP upbeat in Gundlupet

But the mood was just the opposite with supporters of Gundlupet assembly segment’s party candidate C S Niranjan Kumar who is pitted against H M Ganesh Prasad, son of former minister and 5-time MLA late H S Mahadeva Prasad. Speaking from among a large number of his slogan-shouting supporters, Niranjan was confident. “We will win”, he said, though he faces a challenge from Kadabur Manjunath of JD(S) who has been working on the ground for a year, and a BJP rebel Sunil, director of the block milk co-operative, who does not see eye to eye with Niranjan. BJP had wrested the seat from Congress in 2018 with Niranjan defeating M C Mohan Kumari aka Geetha of Congress with a margin of 16,684 votes.

Three-cornered battle in Heggadadevankote

In the current efforts of BJP and Congress to win 113 seats of 224 seats needed to form a government in Karnataka, JD(S) continues with its role that can be seen, either as a spoilsport or kingmaker, as in Heggadadevankote constituency which faces a three-cornered contest
between C Jayaprakash, Congress’ Anil Kumar C and Krishna Naik of BJP. Anil Kumar had won the seat by defeating Chikkanna of the JD (S) with a margin of 22,093 votes in 2018, gaining the seat for Congress from JD(S), but now faces a stiff challenge. “We will make it this time,” Keshav Kumar of BJP was confident.

Fight between families at Hanur

At Hanur, it’s a fight between families, with sitting MLA R Narendra, late ex-MLA Raju Gowda’s son, contesting for Congress and seeking to
retain his seat against Dr Preetham Nagappa, son of ex-JD(S) MLA Nagappa of BJP with Manjunath from JD(S) also giving a tough challenge. In 2018, R Narendra had retained the seat defeating Nagappa of the BJP with a margin of 3,513 votes.

At T Narasipura, Ashwinkumar of JD(S) seeks to retain the seat staving off the challenge from ex-minister H C Mahadevappa and BJP’s Revanna. In 2018, Ashwinkumar won the seat by defeating Mahadevappa of Congress with a margin of 28,478 votes.

Congress appears ahead in Kollegal

At Kollegal, Puttaswamy, an ex-circle inspector of police who resigned and is contesting from JD(S), is challenging AR Krishna Murthy, son of ex-minister and Governor B Rachaiah, of Congress, who appears ahead in the challenge from N Mahesh of BJP, who had won in 2018 as a BSP candidate, defeating AR Krishna Murthy, and is currently facing opposition from within his supporters for having crossed over to the BJP. Mahesh is thereby depending on other community votes to see him through.