HASSAN: Kallahalli, a sleepy village on the Hunsur-Madikeri highway, now the nucleus of the Hunsur bypoll, has too many visitors, with fleets of vehicles carrying leaders making a beeline to pay homage to backward classes messiah D Devaraja Urs. With 10 candidates in the fray, candidates and ministers of the three prominent parties make it a point to pay tribute to the former chief minister. Though no one from the Urs family is into active politics or supports any candidate, everyone wants to identify with the Urs legacy.
Going to the electorate after playing a key role in bringing down the JDS-Congress coalition government, veteran leader of Old Mysuru region AH Vishwanath is locked in a tough battle, this time as a BJP candidate. He intensified his campaign after a visit to Urs’ birthplace in Kallahalli. Vishwanath, claiming to be from the Devaraj Urs school of thought, senses that the dominant Vokkaliga and Dalit communities are tilting towards the Congress and JDS. He is also facing tough questions by voters on his resignation, defection to the BJP and forcing a by-election.
Vishwanath hopes to turn the tide by reaching out to micro castes among the backwards. The Kurubas stand firm behind him, as he makes efforts to consolidate the Nayakas, Idigas, Marathas, Bestha, Dalit factions and other microscopic communities, along with the trusted Lingayat community, which is showing some positive response.
However, the organisational weakness of the BJP in this part of the state is proving a hurdle for Vishwanath. Lack of party cadre to carry the campaign and mobilise the disinterested masses is worrying party strategists. Vishwanath, who will lose the minority vote, could gain from polarisation of votes during Hanuman Jayanti.
Determined to see the lotus bloom in Hunsur, CM BS Yediyurappa has pulled out all stops to woo the electorate with a promise to make Hunsur a district, a ministerial berth for Vishwanath, start a medical college and other development works. The party has brought in leaders B Sriramulu, Kumar Bangarappa, Govind Karjol, V Somanna and MLC Puttaswamy to tap micro-communities that comprise around 70,000 voters.
The BJP is also feeling the heat of the crash in tobacco price. Farmers are holding protests, accusing the government of failing to come to their rescue. The JDS, taking advantage of the situation, has turned the tables on the BJP. Local businessman and JDS candidate Devarahalli Somashekar carries a list of farm loan waiver beneficiaries in Hunsur.
With rumours that JDS and Congress have come to an understanding to defeat Vishwanath, former CM HD Kumaraswamy makes it a point to deny this, brands the BJP candidate a “betrayer”, and appeals to voters to punish him.
Organised campaign
The Congress and Siddaramaiah, keen to defeat Vishwanath, are utilising foot soldiers to put up an organised campaign to reach out to all communities. Knowing that a majority of Kurubas and Nayakas may support the BJP, the party is banking on Siddaramaiah’s charisma to consolidated Dalits, and other backward communities.