Cong fortress under siege: Acid test for Siddaramaiah

There is a great responsibility on the shoulders of Leader of Opposition in the State Legislative Assembly Siddaramaiah to ensure the victory of the party candidates in the district.

The BJP is banking heavily on Medical Education and District-In-Charge Minister S A Ramdas to try out some magic to improves its tally in zilla panchayat.

In last two elections, BJP has not won more than two seats in the district due to influence of Congress and Janata Dal (Secular) in this region. For them winning more than two seats is an achievement.

In 2005 elections, Siddaramaiah, after resigning from JD(S), had floated the All India Progressive Janata Dal (AIPJD) and had won sizeable number of seats in the district.
Subsequently, that party merged into Congress consequent to Siddaramaiah joining that party. While Janata Dal (Secular) had 11 seats, BJP had two members and lone independent member.

As long as Siddaramaiah was in JD(S) it had given stiff opposition to Congress Party and had never given opportunity to hold the mantle of Mysore ZP. The Congress was able to come to power only after Siddu joined that party.

There has been lot of changes since the previous ZP/TP elections held. The Congress is no longer a force to reckon with as it has lost almost all the elections held.

Leadership
The JD(S) is not in a position to give a strong fight due to lack of leadership. The BJP is yet to make inroads into rural areas despite winning the recently held elections to the State Legislative Council from local bodies and also by-elections to Kollegal Assembly constituency.

In the absence of leadership, the BJP is fully relying on Ramdas who is somewhat a new face as far as taluks are concerned. The JD(S) is banking on the charisma of former chief minister and State JD(S) President H D Kumaraswamy in the victory of party candidates.
Out of the total 46 seats, Mysore and Nanjangud have eight seats each, seven in T Narasipur, six each in Hunsur, K R Nagar and H D Kote taluks; and five in Periyapatna. Due to increased reservation, change of quota and other reservation pattern, only eight members out of the total 46 members are contesting the elections. 

In the district, JD(S) has a strong base in K R Nagar, Hunsur, Periyapatna and H D Kote. The BJP is little strong in Nanjangud and Mysore taluk. But the advantage that the Congress Party has is it has the maximum number of MLAs, MLCs and MPs than other parties.

If every legislator uses his influence, it would not be difficult for that party to bag good number of seats to come back to power in zilla panchayat.

The JD(S) has its lone MLA-Sa Ra Mahesh representing K R Nagar constituency. But it has two MLCs-Chikkamadu and Sandesh Nagaraj who are known only in some parts of the district. The Congress party is an old guard and it needs to prove its strength. Unfortunately, Congress did not have strong leaders to lead the party to victory, except Siddaramaiah.

A few Congress leaders opine that Siddu has lost his charisma in his home district in the recent past. If he was so powerful, the Congress party would not have lost any elections held in the last three years.

The second line leadership is overshadowed by the tall leaders. Hitherto, the Congress had its committed voters which has vanished long ago.

Besides, all the previous elections had witnessed straight fight between Congress and JD(S). Now, BJP is slowly emerging as a force and it cannot be dismissed easily. Being a ruling party, BJP leaders can improve its tally; but it is difficult for it to take zilla panchayat under its control.