Money, liquor and muscle power ruled the roost during elections. But values too can triumph. The late MP H Siddananjappa showed this in 1950s and 60s.
Chikmagalur was attached to Hassan in the first Lok Sabha elections held in 1952.
Memories of Mahatma Gandhi and freedom struggle were still fresh in the minds of people. Those were the days when politicians believed in the service to people, without craving for money, power or position.
One such Gandhian from Hassan, H Siddananjappa, a laywer by profession, won three Lok Sabha elections — once unopposed — on Congress ticket.
He campaigned across the constituency on foot spending `1,000. Even if wholesale price index-based inflation is factored in, `1,000 in 1952-53 is approximately equal to 54,000 today.
Siddananjappa, yielding to pressure form the then chief minister S Nijalingappa, plunged into politics.
In 1952 Lok Sabha polls, he secured 1.16 lakh votes defeating S Shivappa of the Socialist Party who got just 55289 votes. In the second parliamentary elections in 1957, he was elected unopposed.
In 1962, he was elected to the Lok Sabha securing 1.04 lakh votes against his nearest rival PSP candidate B R Karigowda’s 99083 votes. Hassan, now a keenly contested Vokkaliga-dominated constituency, elected a Lingayat thrice, not giving importance to his caste but for the values he cherished.
Prior to his entry into politics, he was a lawyer in Hassan after passing out of Poona Law College. He also worked a public prosecutor.
He maintained high standards throughout his public life. He never owned a car during his 15-year term as MP. Except for the mud house on the Hassanamaba temple road in Hassan, he left nothing for his family members.
If such politicians have their way, there would probably be no need for Jan Lokpal.