Key Test for BSY amid Rival Threat; HDK Wary of Shivakumar-led Congress Victory
Two Assembly seats, Sira and RR Nagara in Karnataka are voting in bypolls on November 3. Campaigning fever has now reached its peak in both the seats and the ruling BJP and main opposition Congress have taken it as a matter of prestige. The outcome may not change the political dynamics immediately, but it will certainly impact the leadership of all three major parties in the fray — BJP, Congress and JDS.
It is an election that Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa has to win at any cost to save his chair. Former CM and JDS leader HD Kumaraswamy does not want the Congress to win while the DK Shivakumar-led state Congress can’t afford to lose. In a way, it is a triangular contest among Yediyurappa, Kumaraswamy, and Shivakumar.
The death of JDS MLA M Sathyanarayana, has necessitated the bypoll in Sira in Tumkur district. Meanwhile, the resignation of Congress MLA Munirathna who defected to BJP, last year has necessitated the bypoll in RR Nagara in Bengaluru.
Congress stalwart and six-time MLA TB Jayachandra is contesting from Sira. Notably, he had lost the 2018 Assembly election from the same seat by a margin of 10,000 votes. He has held important ministerial portfolios in the SM Krishna and Siddaramaiah governments in the past. The JDS has fielded Ammajamma, the widow of Sathyanarayana while the BJP has fielded a former Congress MP’s son Rajesh Gowda.
In RR Nagara, the BJP has fielded the turncoat Munirathna, the Congress has given the ticket to H Kusuma, the widow of IAS officer DK Ravi who committed suicide five years ago. The JDS has fielded Krishnamurthy.
It is an important election for BSY as his rivals in the party are gunning for his head citing old age and family interference, once again. For Congress’ Shivakumar, it is a “do or die” battle as both the seats are in his area of influence – the Vokkaliga heartland of Old Mysore region. And for JDS, it is a question of survival of the Gowdas as the area is believed to be their stronghold.
For JDS, even if it loses both seats to BJP, a Congress’ defeat, will at least give a breather to the Gowdas whose political stocks are steadily declining. A win for the Congress will force the Gowdas to cede Vokkaliga space to “rising star” Shivakumar, who is also from the same caste and region.
According to insiders, the Gowdas are moving earth and heaven to ensure the Congress’ defeat in order to halt the march of their fellow caste rival Shivakumar. “The JDS is retreating in both the seats. They know, they can’t win. But, they don’t want Congress to win. There is a tactical understanding between BSY and HDK” said a disenchanted JDS leader. Some even allege that if BJP high command, removes BSY from CM’s chair, the JDS is ready to extend the support to him.
The leader of the opposition Siddaramaiah intensified his attack on the JDS, calling them agents of the BJP. “There is a secret deal between Yediyurappa and Kumaraswamy. The Gowdas always help the BJP”, he said.
The JDS has hit back at him calling Siddaramaiah a traitor, who has joined hands with Yediyurappa to ensure the fall of his rival, Shivakumar, within the party. “Siddaramaiah does not want Congress to win in both the seats. If it loses, Shivakumar will be cut to size. He is jittery about the prospects of Shivakumar becoming the chief minister in the next election” said Kumaraswamy.
Even though the results won’t affect the stability of his government, Yediyurappa is trying his best to win both the seats. The renewed attempts by his rivals, led by a fellow Lingayat leader from north Karnataka BR Patil Yatnal to dislodge him by terming him a south Karnataka leader — where BJP is still behind the Congress and JDS — has unnerved the 78-year-old chief minister.
He knows that a defeat in Old Mysore region will embolden his north Karnataka rivals in the party. To avoid such a scenario, he has deputed his son BY Vijayendra in Sira, where the BJP never secured deposit. To his credit, Vijayendra wrested KR Pete in Mandya from the JDS last December. In RR Nagara, he is banking on Munirathna’s personal popularity and strengths.
Political pundits are claiming that Congress is currently ahead in Sira because of the personal charisma of the candidate TB Jayachandra and BJP’s Munirathna is ahead in RR Nagara. Some predict that the situation on the ground can completely change in the last three days, before the voting, which takes place on November 3. More than the candidates in the fray, BSY, HDK and DKS are spending sleepless nights fearing the worst.
