TUMAKURU: The political future of 15 candidates, including three from the major political parties, who have contested the Sira bypoll on November 3 will be decided on Tuesday. As the votes are counted at the Government Polytechnic College at Tumakuru, the political strategies of KPCC president D K Shivakumar, state BJP vice-president B Y Vijayendra, son of chief minister B S Yediyurappa who was in charge of the bypoll, and former prime minister and JDS patriarch H D Deve Gowda, who had pitched the tent here, too will be tested.
“It will be a question of the very existence of JDS as it has to retain the seat held by party MLA late B Sathyanarayana,” said Gomaradahalli Manjunath, a party supporter. Followers of Congress candidate T B Jayachandra visited the Honnadevi temple at Hebburu near here and offered prayers. When the flowers dropped from the right side of the deity, they considered it auspicious.
Former MLA K N Rajanna said that Jayachandra should win by a margin of at least 10,000 votes as AHINDA voters -- an acronym for minorities, backward classes and Dalits -- rallied behind the Congress with Assembly opposition leader Siddaramaiah seeking their support. “Given Deve Gowda’s aggressive campaigning, the party will garner a respectable vote share of around 30,000 votes,” predicted Rajanna, who had won the Bellavi seat on a JDS ticket in the 2004.
The BJP too is sure of its candidate Dr C M Rajesh Gowda’s victory. Vijayendra was in town on Monday and met the family of BJP worker Tippeswamy, whose two daughters drowned at Kallambella village on Sunday. JDS sources said that party candidate Ammajamma may not be present at the counting centre in the earlier part of the day. “She will visit the centre later, depending on the trend,” they added.