BJP, CM hope to ride victory momentum
MYSURU: With the BJP in an upbeat mood after winning elections in four states, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai and the state party unit are likely to ride the momentum in the Legislative Council elections. The BJP’s bypoll loss in Hangal, the home turf of CM Bommai, had raised many questions on his charisma to lead the party, and he will be keen to redeem his image in the upcoming election.
The party has announced candidates for three seats -- Arun Shahpur (North West Teachers’ constituency), Hanumant Rudrappa Nirani (North West Graduates’ constituency) and senior party functionary M V Ravishankar (South Graduates’ constituency) -- for the elections to be held in June.
The party wants to take advantage of its victory, and has fielded a loyal party worker in South Graduates’ constituency, that was previously won by the JDS. The BJP high command, that had come under criticism for its compromise to accommodate defectors in the ministry, has fielded party workers to send a strong message to the cadre.
Since elections are a litmus test for Bommai’s leadership, the party needs to win two of three seats to ensure it gets a majority in the Legislative Council to call the shots and push through crucial bills, including the Anti-Conversion Bill passed in the Legislative Assembly.
A win gives Bommai an opportunity to prove to the top brass that he can lead the party from the front. It will also silence his detractors within the party, who are floating leadership change theories, and help him expedite implementation of budgetary programmes.
Party insiders feel that that no candidate has been announced for West Teachers’ constituency, in the hope that Council Chairman and JDS leader Basavaraj Horatti will switch sides. On the other hand, South Graduates’ candidate Y V Ravishankar, who had lost by a narrow margin to JDS candidate K T Srikante Gowda, started his campaign with the blessing of prominent seers and party leaders. The BJP, which wants to spread saffron in Old Mysuru region -- considered the stronghold of the JDS and Congress -- hopes to wrest the seat that was once the stronghold of BJP veteran G Madhusudhan.
BJP president Srivasta said the party has enrolled more than 50,000 voters and will hold an election meeting, to win the seat. District Minister S T Somashekar, Ravishankar and other elected representatives will seek the cooperation of other aspirants as a victory in Old Mysuru will send a strong message to the state in an election year.