The Hindu : Karnataka / Mangalore News : Janata Dal (S) may emerge as the dark horse

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Apr 24, 2004

Karnataka

Karnataka - Mangalore

Janata Dal (S) may emerge as the dark horse

By M. Raghuram

MANGALORE, APRIL 23. With only two days to go for the elections, the trends in nine Assembly constituencies in Dakshina Kannada district show that the Janata Dal (S) has made significant gains, causing a dent in the support base of the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). At least in three constituencies, the party has made good progress.

The Janata Dal (Secular) had been engaged in a low-key campaign and no prominent leader of the party had canvassed in the district. But the negative campaigning of the BJP and the Congress has helped the Janata Dal (S) in Moodbidri, Belthangady, and Ullal. While Mangalore, Sullia, and Puttur are still the bastion of the BJP, the Congress is on a firm ground in Vittla, Bantwal, and Surathkal. The Janata Dal (S) has emerged the dark horse in a scenario where the BJP and the Congress are engaged in an intense tussle.

After the final round of campaigning by the Congress President, Sonia Gandhi, and the BJP President, Venkaiah Naidu, the electoral fortunes of the two parties are dwindling.

In Mangalore Assembly Constituency, the two-time winner, N. Yogish Bhat of the BJP, is trying for a hat-trick against his rival, Lancelot Pinto of the Congress. Since the Congress has been the ruling party in the Mangalore City Corporation during most of the past 22 years since the city was elevated into city corporation status, the party wants to claim credit for development. It has accused the BJP of scuttling development, especially with regard to drinking water supply. In Moodbidri, the Congress strongman, Abhayachandra Jain, is facing a stiff contest from his archrival, K. Amarnath Shetty (Janata Dal-S), who has returned to active politics after a three-year hiatus. Mr. Shetty has served two terms as MLA. But the BJP will gain if the Janata Dal (S) makes a dent in the Congress support base. B.A. Mohideen, former Minister who recently joined the Congress, has projected it as one secular party defeating another secular party.

Bantwal may witness a photo finish with the BJP and the Congress going neck and neck. The minorities may tilt towards the Congress.

In Puttur, a BJP bastion, the former MLA, D.V. Sadananda Gowda, who is the BJP candidate from the Mangalore Lok Sabha Constituency, is not sparing any effort to clinch a victory for the party's Mahila Morcha President, Shakuntala Shetty. The going has been good for the party so far.

In Ullal, it is a straight fight between the Janata Dal (S), K. Jayaram Shetty, and the Congress veteran, U.T. Fareed. In Vittla, the Congress has an edge over the BJP. K.M. Ibrahim, who is pitted against Padmanabha Kottari of the BJP, appears to be comfortable in the hilly areas. But Mr. Kottari is gaining ground in Kalladka, particularly after the visit of the BJP President, M. Venkaiah Naidu, to the town. Kalladka witnessed communal violence five times in the past two years.

Belthangady may spring a surprise as Vasanth Bangera (Janata Dal-S) and his brother, Prabhakar Bangera (BJP), are in the fray. The anti-incumbency factor against the BJP could work in favour of the Janata Dal (S). The Congress is likely to finish third.

The picture is hazy in Surathkal. The BJP, the Congress, and the Janata Dal (S) are main contenders here. Kumble Sundar Rao won the seat on the BJP ticket in 1994 elections and K. Vijaykumar Shetty won the seat in 1999.

The votes of minorities could prove to be decisive here. This gives an edge to the Congress. But the Janata Dal (S), which nominated Sureshchandra Shetty (son of the veteran labour leader late Lokayya Shetty), also has good support among the minorities. Since Surathkal is an industrialised zone, the voting pattern may change this time.

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