Party-hopping is no longer surprising in poll-bound Karnataka. What is surprising is the BJP central leadership fielding ministers V Somanna and R Ashoka against the Congress’ chief ministerial faces: Siddaramaiah and D K Shivakumar. The poll pitch has gone to the next level following these swift developments.
There are many dimensions to the decision taken by the BJP central leadership to field the two senior ministers in constituencies where the party has a weak base. The party has given Somanna the task of swinging the Lingayat voters of Varuna in Mysuru district. Ashoka needs to do the same with the Vokkaligas of Kanakapura, in Ramanagar district. A tall task indeed as they are facing strong Congress leaders — Siddaramaiah in Varuna, and Shivakumar in Kanakapura.
Ahead of the Lok Sabha elections of 2024, the BJP wants to activate its cadre in hitherto neglected seats. It is sending out the message that it is a serious contender in the old Mysuru region, where the party has a long way to go in terms of assembly seats. There is a general feeling among the cadre that senior leaders are refusing to come out of their comfort zones and push the boundaries for the party.
Also, the central leadership has received complaints about the ‘adjustment politics’ of some senior leaders with their community leaders as well as friends in opposition camps, where they field weak candidates against the other party in exchange for some quid pro quo. The party wants to dismantle such cartels, if any.
In every election, senior leaders, for reasons of caste politics, repeatedly contest from the same seats, leaving no scope for the juniors. This is hurting the growth of the party. Except for BS Yediyurappa, none of the seniors have grown as influencers of voters, even in their own community.
For example, Ashoka, a self-projected Vokkaliga face of the BJP, had ample opportunity to drive the growth of the party in the Vokkaliga belt. But that did not happen. In his sixth term in the legislative assembly, he is facing Shivakumar, a seven-time MLA, for whom winning the Kanakapura seat has become the norm. In 2018, he won by a margin of 79,909 votes against his nearest rival from the JD (S). The BJP managed a meagre three percent of the votes. There are an estimated 1.2 lakh Vokkaliga voters in this constituency.
Seventy-one-year-old Lingayat leader Somanna had launched a high-decibel campaign to get a ticket for himself and his son. It was reported that he would quit the party if he was ignored. But the party is not ready to lose him yet because of his network among the Lingayat mutts, and has met his demands partially, by allowing him to contest from Chamarajangar while denying a ticket to his son.
Somanna has the tough task of convincing the Lingayat voters of Varuna, among others, to send Siddaramaiah packing. This turncoat politician is a five-time MLA and two-time MLC. He was with the Janata Dal and Congress before holding the BJP. He is the sitting MLA from Bengaluru’s Govindarajnagar, and is in charge of Chamarajanagar district, where the number of Dalits and Lingayats are almost equal.
Of the two lakh voters in Varuna, political pundits say about 60,000 are Lingayats, 54,000 SCs / STs, and 30,000 Kurubas, besides others. Somanna has the task of winning not only his community's votes, but also that of other communities.
Undisputed OBC leader Siddaramaiah, now MLA from Badami, had passed on a caste-polarised and well-nurtured Varuna constituency to his doctor son, Yathindra. The party has set aside the request of Siddaramaiah to contest from Kolar as well. Siddaramaiah is definitely under pressure to perform here. The JD (S) has strategically fielded former BJP MLA Dr Bharati Shankar, an SC.
What do the leaders say?
Why has the BJP stepped into the Congress strongholds of Varuna and Kanakapura? Rajendra M, State BJP Vice President and Chamarajanagar district BJP in-charge, says, ‘’Our two contestants represent two prominent communities. We are serious about winning the seats. Party observers from Delhi are monitoring electioneering in all the constituencies. Of the two lakh voters in Varuna, no less than 60,000 are Lingayats. Here is a good opportunity to win. Gone are the days of adjustment politics. There would be strong action if any irregularities are found. People have been demanding strong leaders in these constituencies and we have met their wishes."
But Congress General Secretary Ramachandrappa says it is nothing but a ploy to tie down the two prominent Congress leaders to their constituencies. Former minister and Congress leader MC Nanaiah too echoes the same view. "The BJP wants to curtail the movement of two top Congress leaders across the state. This is the way the BJP is trying to beat the anti-incumbency factor. It is cheap politics played by the BJP."
Countering such allegations is T Basavaraj, a hotelier in Varuna who lost the ticket to Somanna. In 2018, Basavaraj had lost to Dr Yathindra. ''I've been with the Sangh and the party for 43 years. I have built the cadre here. In 2013, Siddaramaiah won because the BJP was divided. It is not so now. The Lingayats are demanding a strong candidate, so Somanna is here."
BJP’s Kanakapura leader Ravi Kumar S, a Vokkaliga, was denied the ticket that went to Ashoka. "I have enrolled 10,000 members for the party in Kanakapura. If we work consistently, it is possible to wrest the seat from Shivakumar," he said.
Hanif H, a creative consultant and a political enthusiast from Kanakapura, says, "If it works seriously the JD (S) can make a big difference to the polls here. The JD (S) should not overlook the anti-incumbency factor against Shivakumar, the MLA here."
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