Ramanagaram, the name that brings back memories of the blockbuster Hindi movie ‘Sholay’ which was shot in the rocky hills here in the mid-70s, is all set to witness a direct fight between the Janata Dal (Secular) and Congress in the May 5 Assembly polls.
Three candidates who have been elected from this district - Kengal Hanumanthaiah, H D Deve Gowda and H D Kumaraswamy - have served as chief ministers.
This constituency was once a citadel of the Congress, but was taken over by JD(S) in 2004 when H D Kumaraswamy won from this constituency and became chief minister of the JD(S)-BJP coalition government in 2005.
Kumaraswamy fulfilled the long-pending demand of the locals to declare Ramanagaram as a district and also released crores of rupees for infrastructure development in the district headquarters.
Kumaraswamy also won from this constituency in the 2008 Assembly polls despite a pro-BJP wave in the state. Subsequently, he resigned from the Assembly seat and contested from Ramanagaram Lok Sabha constituency and won by a huge margin. In the by-elections held in 2009, he got his confidant K Raju elected even though the BJP was in power. Kumaraswamy is confident of a win this time as well.
Ramanagaram constituency covers parts of Kanakapura taluk, Harohalli, Doddamaralawadi, Ramanagaram taluk, Kasaba, Kylancha circles and Ramanagaram CMC. Of the total 1,81,001 voters, Vokkaligas comprise around 70,000, Muslims around 45,000, Lingayats around 25,000 votes and SC/STs, Kurubas and backward classes comprise the rest. Vokkaliga and Muslim votes will be decisive here.
In the 2008 Assembly elections, the Congress fielded former chief minister Ramakrishna Hegde’s daughter Mamatha Hegde Nichani, who lost badly. This time, Congress has given the ticket to Maridevaru, a local and former revenue inspector. His wife is a member of the Ramanagaram ZP.
It is said that the Congress candidate has prepared the ground well in advance by making liberal donations to various religious programmes in the constituency. Moreover, the Congress is working as a united team to upset Kumaraswamy’s applecart, who is looking for a hattrick win.
Krishna Gowda, a resident of Harohalli, said some outside forces were funding the Congress candidate to trounce Kumaraswamy. “But such things will not work as the contributions of Kumaraswamy are as clear as day. He deserves another chance,” he added.
Prakash Babu of Doddamaralawadi felt that Kumaraswamy is considered as an ‘outsider’ as he is based in Bangalore. This factor may deprive the JD(S) of some votes in a few pockets, he said. Not taking any chances, Kumaraswamy has already completed a tour of the constituency to woo voters.
The BJP has given ticket to Shivamadu who is unlikely to make any impact on JD(S) and Congress votes.