BELAGAVI: The BJP’s big gamble to elevate Laxman Savadi to the Deputy CM’s post, hoping to capitalise on his strong links with voters in 18 assembly segments of Sangli and Kolhapur districts of west Maharashtra, failed miserably as the saffron party managed to win only two seats where he had campaigned.
Assuming that Savadi had played a crucial role in the victory of BJP candidates in most of these 18 seats in the last assembly elections, party leaders not only named him in-charge for the same seats, but also made him Deputy CM. This, despite his loss in the last assembly election from his constituency, Athani.
In neighbouring Kolhapur district, where Savadi spearheaded the party campaign, the BJP did not win a single seat. The party had its eye on lakhs of Kannadiga voters, most of them Lingayats, along the border districts. The party had got Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa to join Savadi to boost its campaign, on October 16 and 17, though Savadi had been camping there for more than three weeks prior to the October 21 elections.
In Sangli district (eight seats), Congress/NCP won five, BJP two and Shiv Sena one, while in Kolhapur district (10 seats), Congress won four, NCP two, Shiv Sena one and Others three.
In its single-minded effort to gain Maharashtra, BJP did not allow Savadi to focus on Athani, which was reeling under severe floods, and lakhs of people were evacuated from their villages. Several Congress leaders, including former MLAs Mohan Shah and Shahjahan Dongargaon from Athani, had questioned Savadi’s involvement in the Maharashtra election campaign at such a crucial time.
Savadi did not even spend a few hours with the flood-affected people who were languishing in gruel centres across North Karnataka. “The BJP’s decision to name Savadi to lead the campaign in Kolhapur and Sangli was foolish. Savadi was not able to win his own seat, how did his party expect him to ensure the victory of other candidates, that too in another state?’’ asked Mohan Shah.
In Jatt assembly segment in Kolhapur, which falls merely a few kilometres from Athani, Savadi and Yediyurappa held a massive campaign on October 16. But finally, sitting MLA Vilasrao Jagtap of the BJP lost to Vikram Sawant of the Congress.
Shah termed as “absurd” the BJP’s logic of getting Savadi and Yediyurappa to campaign to woo Lingayat voters of Maharashtra. “In an assembly election, voters want parties to focus on local and regional issues. Savadi and his team managed to gain plum positions by misleading the party bosses. But you can’t fool people all the time by playing the community card,” he added.
Eight-time MLA Umesh Katti, who was upset that Savadi was named Deputy CM, said BJP performed badly because the Centre and Maharashtra failed to deal with the floods in Sangli and Kolhapur, but did not comment on Savadi’s role.
Savadi kept his phone switched off and was not available for comment.The party leadership had neglected heavyweights like Katti, Balachandra Jarkiholi, Abhay Patil and others. Now, disgruntled leaders may exert pressure on the party leadership for Savadi’s removal.
HDK irked as Siddaramaiah says no to coalition
Bengaluru: Opposition leader Siddaramaiah’s claim that the Congress will win all 15 assembly seats in the upcoming bypolls, but will not go for a tie-up with the JDS, has irked former CM HD Kumaraswamy. Thus, begins a new saga in the ‘love-hate relationship’ between the former coalition partners. “If the Congress wins 15 seats in the bypolls, BS Yediyurappa has to resign. The Congress said it would go to polls directly and would not join hand with the JDS, Siddaramaiah had said, claiming that the JDS had ‘suffered enough’ due to the partnership. In response, Kumaraswamy asked, “Who suffered after associating with whom? In the LS polls, what kind of help did you give? Who instigated the rebels? For all the help you gave me, I am grateful, and will not forget my association with you,” Kumaraswamy said.