Tumkur poll results have bearing on national politics

The results of Tumkur Lok Sabha constituency, where, JD(S) supremo H D Deve Gowda is contesting as coalition candidate, will have a far-reaching impact on national politics.

Big stakes are involved for both the coalition partners and the BJP in the constituency. Having realised the importance of a victory in the segment, the alliance partners - JD(S) and the Congress - are going all out to ensure Gowda cross the line.

Deve Gowda, who has close to six decades of experience in electoral politics, took his time to assess the situation before announcing his candidature from Tumkur. Wasting no time, Gowda, joined by a battalion of coalition leaders, hit the campaign trail touring the district at a frenetic pace.

Sitting MP Muddahanumegowda gave the Congress leadership a tough time by filing his nomination papers as an independent. However, AICC president Rahul Gandhi managed to quell the dissent by pacifying Muddahanumegowda.

A senior Congress leader told DH, “H D Deve Gowda’s win here (Tumkur) is crucial as he can play an important role in getting the allies of the Mahagathbandhan to support the Congress, in case the grand old party manages to come anywhere near the magical number of 272.”

“Hence, the Congress leaders in the district, led by Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara, are going all out to ensure Gowda’s victory here. Parameshwara had not taken 2018 Assembly election from Koratagere seat this seriously,” the Congress leader
added.

State Congress leaders are yet to campaign for Gowda though, but Parameshwara has set the ball rolling by holding campaign meetings and rallies. Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy has already completed one round of campaigning in Tumkur.

The saffron party has pitted the seasoned 77-year-old G S Basavaraju (GSB) against Gowda. Interestingly, Basavaraju had won Tumkur parliamentary seat three times on Congress ticket (1988, 89 and 1999).

In 2009, he won the seat on BJP ticket. Basavaraju, however, lost to Muddahanumegowda of Congress in 2014 elections despite Narendra Modi wave in the country.

GSB, as Basavaraju known in political circles, is using Hemavathi river water issue as a weapon against Gowda.

The district BJP leaders, shunning their differences, are presenting a united front to wrest the seat from the Congress.

The coalition leaders claim Gowda’s win here would strengthen Rahul Gandhi’s hands while the leaders from the saffron party camp feel GSB’s win would buttress the party’s fortunes and Modi.