Dream come true for CM Yediyurappa with KR Pet victory

The BJP opened its account in Mandya district and created history, with the victory of Narayana Gowda, in the bypoll in KR Pet Assembly constituency. It has to be noted that Mandya is usually projected as a Vokkaliga bastion and a stronghold of the JD(S), with the Congress as the traditional rival.

Yediyurappa, who went in search of a career to Shikaripura, grew into a strong leader of Shikaripura taluk and Shivamogga district. Later, as an Opposition leader, he commanded clout across the state. However, in parts of the old Mysuru region, he is still seen as a Lingayat leader. This is his fourth stint as CM, even though his first and third stints did not last long. The other CM from Mandya district is SM Krishna.

When Yediyurappa was CM for the second time, he showered a lot of projects on his native Bukanakere village and KR Pet taluk, besides other parts of Mandya district. He had expressed his unhappiness that the BJP, which he had nurtured from a two-MLA party to the ruling party, could not make inroads in his home district.

He himself took this bypoll, which was necessitated by the resignation of Narayana Gowda in August, as a challenge and deployed his son BY Vijayendra, nephew SC Ashok and other family members to ensure a victory. Law Minister JC Madhuswamy was replaced by Deputy CM CN Ashwath Narayan as in-charge of the bypoll in KR Pet. It was also a strategic move as Ashwath Narayan is a Vokkaliga leader, while Madhuswamy is a Lingayat.

The poll campaign was carefully planned under the guidance of Vijayendra and Ashwath Narayan and executed by BJP in-charge TS Srivathsa. The BJP leaders were aware of the fact that the party did not have grassroots leaders in the KR Pet segment, even though many leaders from both the JD(S) and the Congress, including Narayana Gowda, had crossed over.

A joint committee of available local BJP workers and supporters of Narayana Gowda were formed to woo voters at the booth level. Besides, the BJP took voters from microscopic communities into confidence as a majority of the dominant Vokkaliga voters were expected to vote for the JD(S). Even sections of Vokkaliga voters were convinced to vote for the BJP, playing the native card and citing the funds given to the taluk for development work, by Yediyurappa, as CM.

As a mark of gratitude, Narayana Gowda visited the temple of grama devathe Gogalamma in Bukanakere, immediately after his victory was confirmed.