Bellary constituency: Mining issues nearly proved expensive for BJP

Satish Shile,DH News Service,Bangalore:

It looks like issues do matter in elections. At least in case of Bellary, it seems to have mattered.
Banning of mining in patta land (agri land) by the ruling BJP seems to have upset villagers. Their anger is reflected well in two assembly constituencies of Bellary where mining activity is very high.
Considering the resources the BJP enjoyed in Bellary, the party candidate need not have to wait for the result with fingers crossed on the counting day. Six MLAs and three powerful ministers of the Yeddyurappa Cabinet were with J Shantha. Yet, she could not register victory with considerable margin of votes. She just scraped through with 2,243 votes more than her rival candidate N Y Hanumanthappa (Congress).
It looks one of the major issues which minimised the victory margin is the government’s ban on mining in patta land. People, particularly in rural areas, were dependent on iron ore-stones available in their land for their livelihood. Each family would get Rs 100 to Rs 200 per day by selling iron ores to the local mine owners. After the BJP government came to power the Reddy brothers ensured that the district administration banned illegal mining in patta land. Though the decision was legal, it did not go well with the rural masses. But the Reddys continue to carry on their mining business earning in dollars.
Making better use of the situation, Congress candidate N Y Hanumanthappa, in his campaign speeches, criticised the government’s decision in strong words.
He went to the extent of assuring the public that he would make efforts to lift the ban if he was elected. His assurance touched the masses. Wherever he went for the campaign the people would demand that he reiterate his stand on mining in patta land. And that attracted voters, particularly in Vijayanagar and Sandur Assembly constituencies, where mining activities are very high in the district. In Vijayanagar (formerly Hospet) the Congress secured 59,592 votes, which is 26,331 more than the BJP’s tally. Despite having the BJP MLA the party did not do well. In Sandur the Congress got 60,619 votes, which is 22,893 more than the BJP.
The BJP has got good margin only in constituencies where there is no mining activity. In Kudligi and Kampli, Shantha got a margin of 17,883 and 10,504 votes respectively. Similarly, in Bellary City, (represented by Somashekhara Reddy), she secured a margin of 14,381 seats against the Congress.
Shantha’s only advantage was that she is the sister of Health Minister Sriramulu, who is considered very popular. But in his constituency, Bellary, she could get only 1,281 more votes than the Congress candidate. Whereas in the 2008 assembly election Sriramulu had won with a margin of 25,716 votes from the constituency. Sources in the BJP say that more than anything, it is the chieftain attitude of the Reddys, and their ‘ugly display’ of wealth have made the people of the district express their disgust.