Despite being one of the richest candidates contesting the Assembly election, Govindarajanagar Congress Candidate Priya Krishna goes from one street to another with folded hands seeking votes. His extreme wealth, bachelorhood, youth, accessibility and humility, in that order, seems to have caught the voters’ fancy.
Though 10 candidates are in the fray, the fight is between Priya Krishna, R Ravindra of the BJP and Range Gowda of the JD (S). Ravindra, a follower of housing minister V Somanna, is relatively unknown to voters in Govindarajanagar constituency.
As Somanna decided to give a direct fight to Krishnappa in Vijayanagar, he fielded his close confidant Ravindra from Govindarajanar. Range Gowda’s son R Prakash is the corporator of Kaveripura ward, which is the only ward represented by the JD(S) in the constituency. Gowda is banking on the JD(S)’s traditional Vokkaliga votes.
‘’The 2010 BBMP elections were an eye opener for Priya Krishna and his father. After Congress failed to win a single ward in Govindarajanagar constituency, the father-son duo showered special attention to their respective constituencies and started to meet the voters more often. Priya Krishna started spending time at his Agrahara Dasarahalli residence to be closer to the people in the constituency,’’ a source explained.
Like in most of the constituencies, caste plays a prominent factor in Govindarajanagar. Vokkaligas, Kurubas, Lingayats and Muslims are the dominant communities here.
As Priya Krishna is a Vokkaliga, most of the Vokkaligas are likely to back him. Kurubas, the caste of opposition leader and Congress’ leading CM aspirant, Siddaramaiah, constitute a major chunk of the electorate here. They are expected to endorse Congress.
N Venkatesh, a resident of Agrahara Dasarahalli, says the candidate himself is popular. “Priya Krishna has won the hearts of the people due to his humility and good work. He used send his personal assistants to solve our problems. Even the Lingayats, who know him, will vote for him. Though there is a tough fight between him and Ravindra, he will comfortably win the elections,’’ he felt. There are 2,15,370 voters here.