MYSURU: The November 13 bypolls to three Assembly constituencies in Karnataka is indeed a matter of prestige for the three big political parties. But it is a bigger battle for Chief Minister Siddaramaiah who is entangled in controversies involving the allotment of sites by MUDA and alleged irregularities in the Karnataka Maharshi Valmiki Scheduled Tribes Development Corporation Ltd.
In Channapatna in the Old Mysuru region, there is a high-voltage battle between the Gowda family and the DK Brothers. Former PM HD Deve Gowda, Union Minister and state JDS chief HD Kumaraswamy, DyCM DK Shivakumar, and his brother, former Bangalore Rural MP DK Suresh, are campaigning extensively.
While the NDA has fielded Nikhil Kumaraswamy, son of Kumaraswamy and grandson of Deve Gowda, the Congress has fielded former BJP leader CP Yogeshwara. Both the Gowda family and the DK Brothers are sweating it out to win Channapatna to claim the title of the Vokkaliga leadership, the prominent community in the region.
Gowda, 92, has entered the campaign arena alongside BJP strongman and former CM BS Yediyurappa to ensure Nikhil’s victory. This will be Nikhil’s third electoral battle after losing the 2023 Assembly elections from Ramanagara and the 2019 Lok Sabha polls from Mandya. Nikhil’s opponent Yogeshwara had recently joined the Congress from the BJP.
In Shiggaon in North Karnataka, MP and former CM Basavaraj Bommai is campaigning to ensure not just his son, Bharat Bommai’s victory, but also to retain his hold on his home turf and strengthen his position in the BJP. Bharat is making his debut in electoral politics.
In Ballari’s Sandur constituency, MP E Tukaram is campaigning for his wife and Congress candidate Annapoorna. The battle in Sandur, a mining region, is a Herculean one for Tukaram, as his wife’s opponents are BJP leaders Janardhana Reddy and B Sriramulu. Any setback for the Congress in the Sandur bypoll could give scope for the re-emergence of Reddy as a prominent leader in the Ballari region after nearly a decade.
Personally, a loss in the three bypolls could cause bigger damage for Siddaramaiah and his leadership at a time when he is under relentless attack by the Opposition JDS and BJP over various issues, including the MUDA and ST Corporation rows and now the alleged corruption in the Excise Department.
Though Siddaramaiah has claimed that he has done no wrong, the Opposition is seeking his resignation. “A loss for the Congress will be considered as a referendum against Siddaramaiah’s leadership,” opined a political expert.
Siddaramaiah not only faces attacks from the Opposition, but there are many within his own party and cabinet who are nurturing ambitions to become the CM.
This may put pressure on the Congress high command, which in turn would affect governance and weaken Siddaramaiah’s position in the Congress.
A Congress victory in Channapatna will send out a strong message that the Vokkaligas who ditched the party in the recent Lok Sabha elections are backing it once again, which in turn would be a boost for Shivakumar, the state Congress chief.
Though the bypolls will not have any bearing on the Congress position in the Assembly (as it has 136 MLAs), a win in all three seats will further cement Siddaramaiah’s position not just as CM but also within his party. A victory means that Siddaramaiah can claim that he has the support of Vokkaligas and Lingayats along with his traditional AHINDA voters.
As far as the NDA is concerned, a Congress win may give room for fissure in the alliance between JDS and BJP.
