Karnataka polls: Anti-Siddaramaiah forces gather strength

After Sreenivas Prasad and Vishwanath, Revannasiddaiah quits Congress.

Karnataka CM Siddaramiah (File photo)

MYSURU: Adding to the list of forces, who are making it tougher for Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, former DGP L Revannasiddaiah quit the Congress party on Sunday. It adds credence to the widely heard debate that recently ended, with wary Siddaramaiah also contesting from second seat in Badami, after he received feelers about ‘not so easy win’ from Chamun deshwari.

With the latest entry of Revannasiddaiah in anti-Siddaramiah camp, after former ministers V Sreenivas Prasad and A H Vishwanath who severed ties with the grand old party in a similar fashion, the list is just growing. It’s a different matter that all these leaders shot left over arrows in their quivers only to miss the target, while Siddaramaiah continues to emerge as a tall leader not just in Mysuru, also in the state, showing all signs of extending his footprints to national politics.

The past

Revannasiddaiah was in the Congress when Sidddaramaiah defected to the grand old party in 2006, after calling it quits with the JD(S). Cut back to 2004, Siddaramaiah was in the Deve Gowda-led regional party when he faced Congress’ Revannasiddaiah, a debutante in politics in Chamundeshwari. Siddaramaiah polled 90,727 votes against Revannasiddiah’s 58,382 votes winning by a huge margin of 32, 345 votes. However, putting the party first than his interest, Revannasiddaiah worked with several other leaders for the victory of Siddaramaiah in by-elections from Chamundeshwari in 2006.Despite the whole of JD(S)-BJP alliance government playing all tricks, Siddaramaiah eventually emerged winner, albeit with a wafer thin margin of 257 votes.

Defection

Siddaramaiah, who was aware of the considerable strength of Revannasiddaiah, had promised to ensure him a safe passage to the assembly by shifting to Varuna, leaving Chamundeshwari to the latter. However, as the elections draw nearer, M Satyanarayana, a little known Vokkaliga leader, had become candidate.
Vexed Revannasiddaiah defected to the BJP and contested against Siddaramaiah at Varuna in 2008 only to lose again. Siddaramaiah had got 71,908 votes against Revannasiddaiah’s 53, 071 votes. Since then, Revannasiddaiah had remained a recluse staying away from active politics.

Waiting to avenge

AH Vishwanath who has been resenting Siddaramaiah to hilt is now a JD(S) nominee from Hunsur while V Sreenivasa Prasad’s son-in-law B Harshavardhan is the BJP candidate from Nanjangud (SC reserve) constituency. Vishwanath, also a Kuruba, is trying to bounce back in style, while Prasad wants to avenge the defeat he was handed by Siddaramaiah in the by-elections.

BJP, JD(S) has fielded dummies, alleges CM

Mysuru: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Sunday said BJP and Janata Dal (secular) parties have fielded ‘dummy’ candidates in Chamundeshwari and Varuna assembly constituencies, respectively, with the ulterior motive of defeating the Congress party. Addressing a public meet organised as part of poll campaign for party nominee at H D Kote (ST reserve) constituency Anil Chikkamadu, Siddaramaiah, who appeared unperturbed by the latest developments, exuded confidence that he would emerge victorious in Chamundeshwari, so also his son Yathindra at Varuna.

Zameer sure about winning Chamarajpet

Tumakuru: Former MLA Zameer Ahmed Khan who exuded confidence that he would win from Chamarajpet seat easily, said he would spend more time elsewhere outside his constituency campaigning for Congress party candidates and return to his constituency only during the last leg of the campaign. He claimed when he was campaigning at Azad Nagar area in Chamrajpet assembly constituency recently, people had suggested him not to worry as they will elect him. “Hence I decided to give my time to party candidates elsewhere”, he said.