MYSURU: Varuna, which drew national attention for the high-voltage campaign between former chief minister Siddaramaiah and former housing minister V Somanna, turned out to be a Congress fortress. The BJP’s strategy to foil Siddaramaiah’s ambitions of becoming CM came a-cropper as the Ahinda leader broke all caste equations.
Though the BJP sprang a surprise by fielding Lingayat leader Somanna, who was initially reluctant to contest but late stepped up the campaign, it could not make inroads into the solid Ahinda vote bank. The BJP played up the SC/ST reservation card, hoping to garner more than 75,000 votes from this section of society, but the voters closed ranks behind Siddaramaiah, who also enjoys the support of Lingayats and Vokkaligas. The ‘five guarantees’ scheme also worked in the Congress's favour.
The saffron party was confident that the SC left community will rally behind it, after it alleged that Siddaramaiah had foiled the chances of veteran leaders Mallikarjuna Kharge, KH Muniyappa and G Parameshwara becoming chief minister. It also accused the Ahinda leader of hurting the Lingayats, but it did not cut ice with the community. Instead, it was the apprehension that the BJP would review the Constitution and withdraw their social sector benefits, that made them turn to the Congress.
Siddaramaiah also used his close associate C Mahadevappa and Dalit organisations to campaign for him and consolidate Dalit votes, which shrunk the JDS and BSP’s votes to less than four digits. Somanna’s loss in both Varuna and Chamarajanagar has sent a strong message that backward communities, SC/STs and Muslims stood like a rock behind the Congress. Siddaramaiah also got Lingayat and Vokkaliga votes, pushing his winning margin to 40,941 votes in his political backyard. His emotional connection with the people, and his announcement that it was his last election was another hurdle for the BJP.