MYSURU: Anxious party leaders, who aren’t able to bear the suspense of bypoll results, and do not trust the exit polls, have gone a step ahead and conducted their own survey at the grassroots level.
While some leaders and party workers are now relaxing after weeks of intense campaigning, the others have been visiting their areas of stronghold, prominent villages, junctions, and lanes in both urban and rural pockets, to understand the pulse of the voters. They are calculating their chances of winning at various joints in Hunsur constituency.
Despite candidates and leaders claiming that they are confident about the poll results, they are also working out caste equations and trying to understand JDS’ performance in the strong Vokkaliga pockets.
Congress leaders claim that disgruntled JDS leader GT Devegowda’s supporters have voted for Congress.
Speculations are rife that JDS and Congress have reached an understanding to defeat Vishwanath — the BJP candidate. Most importantly, they want to see if the traditional votes have gone to Congress or not. Congressmen have also sought a detailed report from booths.
Congress worker Manjunath Gowda said that they have got judicious reports from confidants that their party has done well in all pockets, and in all communities.
BJP is also curious to find the share of votes they got from Dalit communities. Party leader Siddaraju said that they are relieved that JDS voters did not transfer their votes to Congress. “We were stressed after watching the exit polls. However, the feedback that we received now, implies that BJP has done well in a traditional JDS stronghold,” he said.
A similar exercise has been taken up by BJP and Sangh Parivar, to find out the voting pattern in Dalit colonies. “BJP had no presence in Dalit and tribal areas, yet they have managed to do well in those areas,” said Nagraj, a BJP functionary.
A similar exercise has been taken up by JDS candidate Somashekar and his supporter, who claimed to be dark horses as they have managed to get Vokkaliga votes. Ramesh, a political observer and a JDS loyalist, admitted that JDS would have easily won if G T Devegowda worked for the party.