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Karnataka

Karnataka

Congress, BJP on solid ground

Jeevan Chinnappa

JD(S) too is confident as campaigning picks up in Madikeri constituency

The constituency now has the entire Somwarpet taluk in its fold after delimitation
The nominees are banking on the ‘good work’ done by their parties when in power

B.A. Jivijaya, Appachu Ranjan and K.N. Vasanth

SOMWARPET (KODAGU DISTRICT): Going by the body language of the major political party candidates in Madikeri constituency, the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party appear to be on a solid ground, but the Janata Dal (S) nominee exudes confidence saying he too is capable of throwing in a surprise.

Campaigning for the May 10 elections is gradually picking tempo in Madikeri constituency, which now has the entire Somwarpet taluk in its fold after the delimitation of constituencies. All the three candidates bank on the “good work” done by the parties in the coalition Governments.

“I am sure to win on the basis of development works initiated by me as the MLA of Somwarpet taluk in the previous term,” B.A. Jivijaya of the Congress told The Hindu here on Thursday.

He denied the rumours that the exit from the Congress of certain local leaders would adversely affect his prospects. He also discounted the theory that dissidence in the party where some of the old Congressmen have ranged against him would have any effect on his chances.

The credit of doing up a stretch of 363-km of road in Somwarpet taluk in the previous term had been well received by the people. Roads, drinking water, “Bane land” dispute, “Jamma Malai” land row would be his priorities after his win in the coming elections. The Congress might have failed to garner majority in the previous elections in the State for various reasons, including drought. People would bring back the party this time.

Popular

The BJP candidate, M.P. Appachu Ranjan, who is pitted against Mr. Jivijaya and K.N. Vasanth of the Janata Dal (S), exudes confidence saying, “I will win by a huge margin.” His main rival, the Congress, has no booth agents to work, he ridiculed. Loan waiver of the Government, interest waiver, Sandhya Suraksha scheme, distribution of cycles to students had made the BJP popular among the people.

The situation favoured the BJP this time unlike in the previous elections. Senior BJP leader, B.B. Shivappa, backing the Congress in the previous elections, the absence of a Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) candidate who would have the “snatched” Congress votes, the Janata Party candidate Rajesh Gundu Rao, who took about 4,000 votes, were responsible for his narrow loss to Mr. Jivijaya in the previous elections. A good section of the minorities too would vote for him, Mr. Ranjan claimed.

The BJP had been projecting B.S. Yeddyurappa as the next Chief Minister and the electorate would surely elect him [Mr. Ranjan] from Somwarpet. Referring to the Janata Dal (S) candidate, K.N. Vasanth, Mr. Ranjan said his presence in the arena would not pose any threat to him. The Muslim votes, which the Congress was eyeing, too would split in Madikeri with a section voting for the BSP, Mr. Ranjan said.

‘JD(S) wave’

“Wave is in our favour,” said Mr. Vasanth who was seeking votes based on the achievements of the H.D. Kumaraswamy Government. He told The Hindu that the BJP was claiming that it was responsible for the loan and interest waiver, ban on arrack and lotteries. If it had done so it could have implemented such programmes in other BJP-ruled Sates, he said.

Mr. Vasanth said that he belonged to Kodlipet and hailed from a farmer background. His adversaries were projecting him as an outsider, which was wrong.

Referring to the dissidence in the party where party leader in Somwarpet taluk, V.P. Shashidhar, is peeved at not being considered for the party ticket from Madikeri, Mr. Vasanth said that party was important, not individuals.

The fortunes of the Janata Dal(S) were definitely down in Madikeri constituency three years ago, but it was a rejuvenated party now. He would work for the development of his constituency with special emphasis on the welfare of farmers, Mr. Vasanth said.

The Janata Dal(S) was the only party which recognised all sections in society. The Congress and the BJP did not make any effort to understand the difficulties of the people, Mr. Vasanth alleged. The Congress was unsure of who should lead the party in the elections. Asked why he preferred the party whose control was held by the Deve Gowda family, Mr. Vasanth shot back, “What is wrong when the Congress backs the Indira Gandhi family?”.

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