The Mysuru region — presently comprising Mysuru, Mandya, Chamarajanagar and Hassan districts — is politically important for both state and national politics, as the awareness level among the people is better, compared to other regions.
Thus, all major political parties and their leaders concentrate more on the region.
Since the Assembly poll fever picked up, starting from January 25, when the BJP Parivarthana rally was held in the city, BJP president Amit Shah has visited the region four times, till Saturday. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has visited twice. AICC president Rahul Gandhi also visited the region once. Chief minister Siddaramaiah, a native of the district, is frequenting the region as his son is testing his luck from Varuna constituency and himself from Chamundeshwari segment.
Whether one likes it not, Mysuru has played a major role in the development of the region and has a special place in heritage, tradition, culture, history, education, etc. Not to forget polity. Referred to as Old-Mysuru, the region has always played a vital role in the polity of the sub-continent. Mysuru was the capital of Mysuru state up to 1956. The state itself was called ‘Mysuru state’ till a Mysurean himself, then chief minister D Devaraja Urs, renamed it as ‘Karnataka’ in 1973.
History
Since the coronation of Yaduraya in 1399, the small principality of Mysuru grew leaps and bounds up to 1799. Raja Wadiyar, Ranadhira Kanteerava Narasaraja Wadiyar and Chikka Devaraja Wadiyar expanded it considerably, with Srirangapatna as their capital. Further, the dalvoys and also dictators Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan expanded Mysuru to include parts of Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala and Tamil Nadu. The erstwhile Mysuru, since the coronation of Mummadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar in 1799, was the present 13 districts. Earlier, Mandya and Chamarajanagar were part of Mysuru district.
Due to the strong foundation in education and welfare policies of the Wadiyar kings, Mysuru not only produced literary and intellectual giants, but also social reformers, statesman and political leaders. Even though the people of the region did not come under the oppression of the British directly, the leaders would fight for the rights of the people and would support the Freedom Movement.
Whoever is the chief minister of Karnataka, the Mysuru region has always played a prominent role in state politics. Out of 22 CMs so far, five are from this region. While Vokkaligas are a majority in Hassan and Mandya districts and also in some parts of Mysuru district, Lingayats are a majority in parts of Chamarajanagar and Mysuru districts. Kurubas and Dalits are the deciding factors, besides the Muslims playing a crucial role in a few constituencies. The Muslims are a majority in Narasimharaja and Brahmins are a majority in Krishnaraja constituencies. The region has only one ST reserved segment and five SC reserved constituencies.
Since the emergence of the Janata Parivar in 1983, the Congress and the various versions of the parivar have been traditional rivals. However, in 1994, the people sprung a surprise with the election of S A Ramdas in Krishnaraja, H S Shankaralingegowda in Chamraraja and E Maruthi Rao Pawar in Narasimharaja constituencies of Mysuru city and C H Vijayashankar from Hunsur and also, B B Shivappa from Sakleshpur in Hassan district. In 1999, Dr Bharathi Shankar from T Narasipur and V Papanna from Hunsur were an addition, while Pawar lost and Vijayshankar did not contest. Since then, the BJP is also a major party in Mysuru city. But, it has was reduced since the formation of the splinter KJP by B S Yeddyurappa in 2013. The BJP has been mostly dependent on the JD(S) for power-sharing in local bodies.
While H D Deve Gowda from Hassan went on to become both chief minister and later prime minister, two leaders from Mysuru district — D Devaraja Urs (Hosahalli, Hunsur taluk, Mysuru district) and Siddaramaiah (Siddaramanahundi, Mysuru taluk and district) — and one from Mandya — S M Krishna (Somanahalli, Maddur taluk, Mandya district) — become chief ministers. Two more natives of the region — H D Kumaraswamy, Haradanahalli, Holenarsipur taluk in Hassan district, and B S Yeddyurappa, Bookanakere village in KR Pet taluk, Mandya district — became chief ministers even though they represented Ramanagara and Shivamogga districts respectively.
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