Mysuru set for triangular fight; Cong, JD(S) shine in rural areas, BJP in urban ones

Shyam Sundar Vattam | NT

Mysuru: This time, all eyes are set on Mysuru City given the Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly and the CM contender, Siddaramaiah is contesting from Varuna Assembly constituency.Of the total 11 Assembly constituencies, it looks like a triangular fight between the Congress, BJP, and Janata Dal (Secular) in a majority of the segments due to the dominant Vokkaliga votes.

While the saffron party seems to have an upper hand in urban areas, the Congress and JD(S) are quite strong in rural segments. In the 2018 Assembly polls, then Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had contested from Chamundeshwari along with Badami in Bagalkot district. But he lost by over 30,000 votes to the JD(S) candidate and former minister, G.T.Devegowda.

This time, the former CM is contesting from Varuna but is worried over a tacit understanding between the opposition parties to defeat him and end his ambition to become the CM for a second time. The Congress high command refused to permit him to contest from another constituency and so he has to ensure his victory from Varuna where the BJP has put up minister and Lingayat community strongman V.

Somanna. A high-voltage battle is on in Varuna where there have been skirmishes between Congress and JD(S) supporters. Among the other seats, Dr Revanna who was working as a government hospital surgeon, has resigned and is contesting as the BJP candidate from T.Narasipur (reserved) constituency.

The JD(S) candidate of the previous election has been made the Congress nominee in Chamaraja Constituency while the BJP has taken the risk of giving the ticket to a new candidate, Srivatsa in Krishnaraja constituency. To divert SC votes, the JD(S) has given the Varuna ticket to Dr Bharati Shankar, a former MLA.

Krishnaraja

In Krishnaraja, considered one of the safest seats for the BJP, the party has declined the ticket to sitting MLA, S.A. Ramdas, and fielded Srivatsa who is yet to make a name for himself in the public domain The Congress party has given the ticket to former MLA M.K.Somashekar who had won in the 2013 Assembly polls but lost in the 2018 Assembly polls. The JDS ha(s) fielded M.Mallesh for a second time but he seems to lack the support of the electorate.

Chamaraja

In this constituency, the fight is between sitting BJP MLA L. Nagendra and K.Harishgowda of the Congress. Harishgowda had contested as the JD(S) candidate in the 2018 Assembly election and subsequently joined the Congress Party. Former MLA, Vasu, a follower of former CM, M.Veerappa Moily, has slammed Siddaramaiah for denying him the ticket and has decided to stay neutral. The internal bickering in the Congress Party may benefit the BJP candidate.

Chamundeshwari

To avenge his defeat in 2018, Siddaramaiah has fielded Mavinahalli Siddegowda in Chamundeshwari which is currently held by former minister and JDS MLA G.T.Devegowda. The BJP has given the ticket to Kavish Gowda, the son of former Congress MLA, P. Vasu.

Devegowda had plans to quit the JD(S) and wanted to join the Congress or BJP. But after the intervention of JD(S) supremo H.D.Devegowda, the MLA continued in t h e same party. The fight is between Siddegowda and Devegowda as the BJP does not have a base in this constituency.

Narasimharaja

This is one of the surest seats for the Congress Party as no other party has won this constituency except once. The sitting MLA, Tanveer Sait, son of former minister Azeez Sait has been representing this constituency for the last six terms.

The BJP made a futile bid to win the constituency by fielding former mayor, Sandesh Swamy but voters preferred to back Sait. In the 2018 election, the SDPI had given a tough fight to Sait but this time, the SDPI has not fielded its candidates in a majority of constituencies reportedly to check the division of Muslim votes. A local Congress leader Abdul Khader quit the party and has been made the JD(S) candidate.

Hunsur

Not much has changed in this constituency except for the change of candidates. In the 2018 election, A.H. Vishwanath won from here on the JD(S) ticket by defeating H.P. Manjunath of the Congress Party. Subsequently, Vishwanath resigned and joined the BJP, and lost to Manjunath in the 2019 by-election. Now, Vishwanath has joined the Congress party. In this election, the BJP has fielded Somashekar, the defeated JD(S) candidate of the previous election. The Congress candidate, Manjunath is confident of victory

HD Kote

The constituency which is reserved for STs, is currently held by Anil Chikkamadu, son of former JD(S) MLA late Chikkamadu. The BJP’s candidate Jayaprakash is the son of former MLA Chikkanna. He tried for the Congress ticket but failed to get it as