SHIMOGA: In Shimoga Lok Sabha constituency, the fight is not between Bangarappa and B Y Raghavendra.
They are only dummies. The actual war is between two neo-royal families - those of erstwhile Socialist leader Bangarappa and of the RSS loyalist B S Yeddyurappa.
The two families are fighting to gain supremacy over the district and the prestige of both the families is at stake.
Heads of these two families - Bangarappa and Yeddyurappa - have many things in common.
Both started their political career from scratch and achieved the apex position in the state. Both have enjoyed all the positions a politician dreams of. Both are obstinate, rustic and practice politics all 24 hours a day. The only difference is Bangarappa knows how to enjoy music and art, while Yeddyurappa does not.
Both have come from two opposite but strong ideologies. Bangarappa had come up from Socialist movement while Yeddyurappa had come up in the Sangha Parivar.
Bangarappa established his supremacy through political manoeuvring and ruled the district like an uncrowned king.
Yeddyurappa too established similar supremacy through similar political manoeuvring. Bangarappa had earned the distinction of making or marring a political party at his will. Yeddyurappa built BJP from scratch in the state and made Karnataka achieve the distinction of having the first BJP government in the south. Both have projected their sons when it comes to grooming second-level leadership in the district. They are the unquestioned leaders of their communities too - Ediga and Lingayat.
In the 2008 May elections, the Bangarappa family faced a humble defeat at the hands of BJP.
Bangarappa and both his sons were humbled by the BJP. Bangarappa wants to bounce back now, by registering a victory in the Lok Sabha election.
Yeddyurappa, who was instrumental in the defeat of the Bangarappa family, wants to continue with his political success. So the battlelines are drawn between two neo-royal families and Shimoga is divided politically into two groups. It is a ‘now or never’ opportunity for both the families.
That is why, members of both the families are actively involved in the election campaign.
Had there not been the model code of conduct in place, this constituency would have witnessed the most unhealthy and fiercest-ever political battle. Although the district registered the second highest number of model code violation cases, some restraint is visible in both the groups.
Bangarappa seems to be over confident. So far, he has contested the Lok Sabha elections as a Karnataka Congress Party, Congress, BJP and Samajwadi Party candidate and won.
Only once did he taste defeat when he contested from Karnataka Vikas Party. Then, it was a triangular fight between him, Ayanur Manjunath (BJP) and D B Chandregowda (Congress).
Whenever there was a straight fight, he had won irrespective of the party he had contested from.
So, his lieutenant Kagodu Thimmappa argues that since it is a straight fight, this time Bangarappa should win.
Lok Sabha election is not simple arithmetic, points out Ayanur Manjunath, BJP leader and former MP. The situation has changed this time and social equations are not as simple as they used to be during earlier elections, he adds.
According to him, people would consider development programmes launched by Yeddyurappa as deputy chief minister earlier and as the chief minister now. Moreover, people want a younger face to represent them in Parliament than an aging person, he says.
When Yeddyurappa decided to field his son, there was strong opposition within the BJP. Then it was predicted that this opposition within would become a disadvantage to Raghavendra. But everyone has sunk the differences about Raghavendra’s candidature and has been working wholeheartedly for his victory, now.
The main challenge before the BJP was to introduce Raghavendra to the voters. Though this work was being done in a small way earlier, a battery of activists has been engaged in every boothlevel to ensure that the message of his candidature reaches every home in the district.
In deep contrast, Bangarappa’s campaigning began very late and is lacklustre.
Most of his followers have deserted him to join the BJP. Congress high command seems to have left Bangarappa to fend for himself. So his campaigning has not percolated to the level of Gram Panchayats.
Yet, the Bangarappa camp is confident of a victory with a good margin. Because, it feels caste equation in the constituency is very advantageous, with his community - Ediga - having more numbers.
But we have the support of all the communities, including Edigas, claims Raghavendra.