MYSURU: With the stage set for a triangular fight in the December 10 Legislative Council poll for the dual-member Mysuru-Chamarajanagar seat from local authorities' constituencies, candidates of the Big 3 JDS, Congress and BJP are knocking on the doors of disgruntled JDS leaders MLA GT Devegowda and MLC Sandesh Nagaraj, seeking their support.
They are also calling on religious leaders of mutts in Mysuru and Chamarajanagar to garner support. While the BJP has fielded R Raghu, the Congress has fielded Dr Thimmaiah. JDS, which considers Mysuru-Chamarajanagar its stronghold, has fielded Manje Gowda.
Manje Gowda was the first one to call on MLA GT Devegowda, who defeated Siddaramaiah from Chamundeshwari in 2018, and has a considerable influence over his constituency and Hunsur, which he had represented in the past.
All’s not well between Devegowda and the JDS leadership, with the former publicly criticising the party for sidelining him. On his part, JDS leader HD Kumaraswamy, too, had said it was up to Devegowda to remain in the party or quit. Devegowda had shared the stage with Siddaramaiah at a recent function, fuelling murmurs that he was joining Congress.
Congress candidate Thimmaiah has been campaigning along with H C Mahadevappa, R Dhruvanarayana and others, and has also approached Devegowda and his supporters. Sources claim that Devegowda’s supporters will back Thimmaiah as the disgruntled MLA has stayed away from JDS activities for the past two years.
Thimmaiah's supporters are also prevailing upon him to meet Sandesh Nagaraj, as every vote counts. Also, candidates are eyeing second preference votes from rival parties, knowing that it would give them an edge.
Raghu, who is also chairman of the D Devaraj Urs Development Corporation, has already called on Sandesh Nagaraj along with district minister ST Somashekar and others. Nagaraj, who had made public his intentions of quitting the JDS, tried his best to get a BJP ticket.
However, the party fielded Raghu. Nagaraj later said he will not contest the MLC polls. He has reportedly assured the BJP of his support as his brother and son are both in BJP.
Manje Gowda, a Congressman who joined JDS to contest the MLC polls, is banking on his connections in his former party and charisma of Kumaraswamy to win. Manje Gowda had served as a panchayat member and hopes that Vokkaligas will rally behind him as he is the only candidate here from the community.
BJP and JDS say the tone of the election will change if both parties enter into a strategic understanding. This comes at a time when BJP leader BS Yediyurappa has publicly sought JDS support in constituencies it is not contesting from. However, things may change with heavyweights like Yediyurappa, Kumaraswamy and Siddaramaiah joining the campaign.