JOIN USBJP's poll prospects in old Mysuru region unchanged since 2018
The prospects for the BJP in the old Mysuru region is not any better, compared to the 2018 polls, given that not many leaders from either Congress or JD(S) crossed over. Besides, not many leaders have emerged from the BJP cadres in the region, even as senior leaders like former MLC Go Madhusudhan and MLA S A Ramadass are sulking, mainly due to personal reasons.
A senior BJP functionary said, “The leaders of the BJP in Mysuru region seem to be content with what they have. Union Home Minister Amit Shah had hinted, last year itself, during his visit in December 2021, that a few leaders of both Congress and JD(S) had approached the BJP. However, no major leader has joined the BJP so far.”
The leader said, “Even though former chief minister B S Yediyurappa, a towering leader of the BJP, is from Mandya district, he too has not been able to help. With great difficulty, his son B Y Vijayendra and other BJP leaders, facilitated the victory of Narayana Gowda, who also had his share of supporters, since he was JD(S) MLA, in the 2019 KR Pet bypoll.”
“Present BJP Karnataka general secretary (organising) Rajesh and BJP national general secretary (organising) B L Santhosh have worked for the RSS in Mysuru and have their own network in the old Mysuru region. However, even their clout has failed in the strong base of the Congress and the JD(S),” he pointed out.
R Aravind, Mandya city BJP president, said, “Over the past few months, Fighter Ravi of Nagamangala segment, Ashok Jayaram (JDS) of Mandya segment, Sachidananda of Srirangapatna (Congress) segment and Lakshmi Ashwin Gowda (JDS), who is seeking a ticket from Mandya, as her Malavalli segment is reserved for SC communities, have joined the BJP in Mandya district.”
Mysuru district (rural) BJP president Mangala Somashekar said, “In KR Nagar segment, Babu Hanuman has joined the BJP from the Congress. There are talks with a few more such leaders, for other segments. But, details cannot be divulged at present.”
Babu Hanuman’s father, S A Govindaraju, was in the BJP and had polled 24,546 votes in the 1999 Assembly election from KR Nagar segment. His mother Sumithra was a zilla panchayat member, while Babu Hanuman too unsuccessfully contested the last ZP poll from Mirle segment. He had identified with the faction of KPCC president D K Shivakumar in the Congress. His elder sister Anupama Mahesh is the daughter-in-law of Puttaswamy Gowda, a tall leader of the Congress in Hassan district. Gowda was a strong opponent of former prime minister H D Deve Gowda in Holenarsipur Assembly constituency.
Preetham Gowda, a surprise package
In Hassan, Preetham J Gowda was a surprise package from the stable of BJP general secretary C T Ravi in the 2018 poll. But, since then, no major leader has joined the BJP in Hassan district. A Manju, who contested the 2019 Lok Sabha polls on a BJP ticket, after crossing over from the Congress, was back in the Congress fold long back, unofficially. An ABVP product, Manju was in the BJP long back and was also, elected as an MLA from Arkalgud segment in 1999. But, the BJP has failed to hold him back, on multiple occasions.
Agile Yogesh, who was trying for a BJP ticket in the 2018 polls from Hassan, later joined the JD(S). But, now, he is in the Aam Aadmi Party.
In Chamarajanagar, there have been no major arrival in the BJP from other parties. After the fall of the JD(S)-Congress coalition government, Kollegal MLA of BSP N Mahesh joined the BJP. Nishanth from Shivamogga and B Venkatesh from Bengaluru are active in Hanur segment, even as Dr Preethan Nagappa, who lost the 2018 poll, is also active of late.
DCC Bank vice-president M P Sunil is active in Gundlupet, competing with BJP MLA C S Niranjan Kumar for the ticket. M Rudresh, chairman of Karnataka Rural Infrastructure Development Limited (KRIDL) from Ramanagar is active in Chamarajanagar segment.