The Hindu : Face-off between Ugrappa, Rajanna

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Nov 23, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Karnataka

Face-off between Ugrappa, Rajanna

By Our Staff Correspondent

TUMKUR NOV. 22. V.S. Ugrappa of the Congress and the rebel party candidate, K.N. Rajanna, are the main contenders in the December 1 Legislative Council elections for the single seat from the local authorities constituency in Tumkur district. There are seven other candidates in the fray.

Mr. Rajanna is among the 25 MLCs whose term ends in January. In the previous election, he overcame the challenge from the Janata Dal which was then in power in the State. He is said to have nurtured the constituency well, and this made him contest the election, although the Congress denied him ticket.

As many as 4,932 gram panchayat members, 251 members of civic bodies, 195 members of 10 taluk panchayats, 52 zilla panchayat members, 13 MLAs, two MLCs, and an MP are among the voters. The votes will be counted on December 3. If a candidate wins more than half the valid votes polled in the first round of counting, he will be declared elected. Otherwise, the winner will be decided through elimination rounds.

A section of leaders of the Tumkur District Congress Committee (TDCC) were opposed to giving party ticket to Mr. Rajanna on the grounds that he had embarrassed the party several times in the past. The Congress chose Mr. Ugrappa, KPCC General Secretary, in his place.

Although Mr. Ugrappa hails from Tumkur District, he is dubbed an outsider here. His contribution to the party, mainly in putting up a strong defence against the frequent verbal onslaughts of the former Prime Minister, H.D. Deve Gowda, and his followers, is not so well known in the district, especially among the gram panchayat members. Mr. Ugrappa's creditable performance in the House is not well known here either. Mr. Ugrappa was in the limelight here when he and former MP, P. Kodandaramaiah (now in Janata Dal-Secular) formed a committee to fight for irrigation facilities for Tumkur and Chitradurga districts and raised a strong voice against Andhra Pradesh digging feeder canals across the border in Madakashira. While Mr. Kodandaramaiah is continuing the mission, Mr. Ugrappa has been caught up in KPCC work.

Banking upon party support, Mr. Ugrappa campaigned in the southern parts of the district. He was accompanied by G.S. Basavaraju, MP, and S. Shafi Ahmed, former MLA. Mr. Basavaraju holds sway over the district as he was the TDCC President for nearly 20 years.

S.P. Muddahanume Gowda, MLA, who took over as TDCC President, geared it up for the Assembly elections in 1999 with the help of Mr. Rajanna and Chinnayellappa Reddy, General Secretaries. The Congress has nine MLAs from the district. Ironically, Mr. Rajanna is facing expulsion from the party and Mr. Reddy, who was made Chairman of the Tumkur Development Authority for a brief period, has been relegated to the background.

Both Mr. Rajanna and Mr. Ugrappa are from the Nayak (Valmiki) community. During the past decade, Mr. Rajanna has emerged as a rallying point for people of the backward classes, Scheduled Castes, and Scheduled Tribes. His election as Chairman, Karnataka Apex Cooperative Bank, and as Vice-Chairman of the Indian Federation of Cooperative Banks enabled him to support many programmes for the welfare of these sections.

The Congress has 36 members in the zilla panchayat and 113 members in 10 taluk panchayats. Not all of them are guaranteed to stand by the party if the elections to the posts of President and Vice-President in these bodies are any indication. Mr. Rajanna's wife, S.R. Shantala, became the President of the zilla panchayat upsetting the party's calculations.

Mr. Basavaraju represents eight the Assembly segments of Tumkur, Tiptur, Turuvekere, Kunigal, Gubbi, and C.N. Halli taluks, which together account for 3,237 votes in the election. In Madhugiri and Koratagere taluks, which have 1,017 votes, Mr. Ugrappa may have to rely upon G. Parameshwar, Minister for Higher Education, and R.L. Jalappa, MP and former Union Minister. However, as far as Sira and Pavagada taluks, with 1,176 votes, are concerned, Shashikumar, MP, (JD-U), who represents them, is a close associate of Mr. Rajanna. It will not be a surprise if Mr. Rajanna makes a dent in Mr. Ugrappa's own turf in Pavagada. Venkataravanappa, Pavagada MLA, and Jampaiah, former President of the zilla panchayat, owe allegiance to Mr. Rajanna.

It appears that it would not matter to the Congress leaders in Tumkur district whether Mr. Ugrappa wins or loses, except that a section of them is keen on curbing the growth of Mr. Rajanna.

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