Karnataka - Bangalore   

Many film personalities bite the dust

B.C. Patil, Yogeshwar and Jaggesh

Bangalore: Although 12 film personalities were in the poll fray, only B.C. Patil, Jaggesh and C.P. Yogeshwar of the Congress got elected to the 13th Assembly from Hirekerur, Turuvekere and Channapatna constituencies respectively.

M.H. Ambareesh, Shashikumar and Umasri of the Congress who contested from Srirangapatna, Challakere and Teradal respectively, and Sai Kumar and film director C.K. Mahender of the BJP from Bagepalli and Kollegal (Reserved) respectively lost.

Besides, “Mungaru Male” producer E. Krishnappa (Janata Dal –Secular) and film financier Suresh Gowda (Congress) were in the fray from Yelahanka and Nelamangala.

Voters of the State have again sent a message to political aspirants in Kannada cinema that passion for film personalities cannot influence their political thinking.

Of the winners, Mr. Yogeshwar has made it to the Assembly for the third time.

Mr. Jaggesh, who has been in the party for over five years and contested unsuccessfully in 2004, tasted success for the first time.

The Congress considered Mr. Jaggesh’s candidature only after his supporters held a demonstration at Turuvekere, which took a violent turn.

Mr. Patil, a former police officer and second-line hero of Kannada cinema, who won on the JD(S) ticket in 2004, joined the Congress on the eve of elections.

The defeat of “Mandyada Gandu” Mr. Ambareesh, who represents Mandya in the Lok Sabha, at the hands of Ramesh Bandisidde Gowda has come as a shock to both his fans and political followers. Mr. Ambareesh wanted to contest from Mandya, but the party “forced” him to contest from Srirangapatna.

The Congress reportedly made another “strategic error” in forcing its former MLC Umasri to contest from Teradal, said to be a stronghold of the weaver community in Bagalkot district, though its former MLC, who belongs to that community, was keen on contesting from Bangalore South.

The drubbing of Mr. Mahender and Mr. Sai Kumar was expected as the BJP hardly has any presence in Kollegal and Bagepalli. Kollegal has been a traditional bastion of the Congress and Bagepalli of the Communist Party of India (Marxist).

The Congress considered Mr. Shashikumar’s candidature from Challakere despite opposition from party cadre and public complaints against him. Mr. Shashikumar, who was earlier in the Janata Dal (U) represented Chitradurga in the Lok Sabha faced many allegations, including misuse of MPLAD funds.

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