BJP gearing up for 2023 polls in Old Mysuru region

Following the groundwork in the BJP to woo a couple of legislators, MPs, a few leaders in the Old Mysuru region and workers are upbeat. However, another section of BJP leaders and workers are not in favour of the developments. They say that the party should aim for long-term benefits rather than short-term ones.

It may be recalled that Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who was in Karnataka in the first week of April, had stated that around eight prominent leaders of other parties had contacted him showing interest in joining the BJP. He had asked the BJP leaders of the state, especially in the Old Mysuru region, to contact them and facilitate their induction into the party as they were coming without any demands.

“The Congress and the JD(S) are the traditional rivals in the Old Mysuru region. The BJP is yet to penetrate among rural masses. Out of 29 Assembly segments in Mysuru, Mandya, Chamarajanagar and Hassan districts, the JD(S) tops the list with 16 seats, while Congress has just six seats," points out Mahesh Raje Urs, member of Ashraya Committee, under Chamaraja Assembly segment. "The BJP is in a better position than the Congress with seven seats. In the original 2018 results, the JD(S) was in an even better position, with 18 seats in 29 segments. In the 2019 bypolls, the JD(S) lost Hunsur to Congress and K R Pet to BJP,” he said..

Urs said that cutting across faiths, castes and parties, leaders joining the BJP will strengthen the party.

“There are talks that the leaders are in touch with the likes of Chamundeshwari MLA G T Devegowda of the JD(S). But a couple of months ago, Devegowda had announced that he would join the Congress. We will have to wait and watch,” he said.

However, a section of the party leaders are against the induction of leaders from other parties. “If Devegowda is roped in, the party will not be benefited in a big way. He is seeking tickets for himself and his son G D Harish Gowda. Earlier also, Devegowda was with the BJP. He abandoned the BJP after enjoying power as Chairman of Karnataka Housing Board,” points out a leader on condition of anonymity.

Sources said the party high command was toying with the idea of fielding a firebrand MLC, from Tumakuru district, in Chamundeshwari segment. “He is a good orator and suits the segment, given his Vokkaliga caste. Similar experiments should be done, by fielding original BJP functionaries instead of depending on imports,” said another BJP leader.

Siddaramaiah, who had contested an Assembly poll in Mandya as an independent and later fought the 2018 Lok Sabha bypoll on a BJP ticket, said, taluk-level meetings were being held across Mandya district to strengthen the party. “We plan to hold a district-level public meeting in mid-May, attended by national-level leaders,” he said.

To a query on talks that independent MP A Sumalatha may join the BJP, Siddaramaiah said that he does not know anything about it, but the BJP workers want leaders to emerge from within the party, which is a cadre-based organisation. “Defeated candidates should get a chance to contest the polls again,” he added.

Poll results

A senior BJP leader admitted that the party could register its first victory in Mandya district through Narayana Gowda in K R Pet Assembly segment. He was a JD(S) MLA earlier.

“However, Sumalatha’s is a different case. She won as people voted for her cutting across party lines. She polled votes of supporters of the JD(S), the Congress and also the BJP in the 2019 general election. She is maintaining cordial relations with the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre and also with the state government. But will she have the same advantage, if she joins the BJP? Will she bring strength to the BJP? Will have to wait and watch,” he said.