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    BJP tries to break into JD(S) citadel in Mandya, Mysuru

    Synopsis

    The ruling BJP is pulling out all stops to win both KR Pet and Hunsur. The party leaders are seeing an opportunity in the disqualified JD(S) MLAs KC Narayana Gowda (KR Pet) and AH Vishwanath (Hunsur) contesting with a BJP ticket to rein in JD(S)-Congress in this region.

    BJP-pollsAgencies
    The entry of Gowda to the BJP has, for the first time, opened up a triangular contest in KR Pet.
    BENGALURU: Out of the 15 Assembly seats that are facing polls on December 5, two seats — KR Pet in Mandya district and Chikkaballapur — have never been won by the BJP. In fact, in last year’s Assembly elections, the JD (S) came home with all seven seats in the district, sending shivers down the spine in the BJP and Congress camps. The JD(S) is struggling to retain this seat as well as Hunsur in Mysuru district where its former party president is contesting on a BJP ticket.

    The BJP, at least, can take comfort in the fact that it has won the Hunsur Assembly seat twice before, in 1994 and 1999. The ruling BJP is pulling out all stops to win both KR Pet and Hunsur. The party leaders are seeing an opportunity in the disqualified JD(S) MLAs KC Narayana Gowda (KR Pet) and AH Vishwanath (Hunsur) contesting with a BJP ticket to rein in JD(S)-Congress in this region.

    As with other constituencies in the Old Mysuru region, voters of KR Pet and Hunsur have favoured JD(S) or Congress candidates in the Assembly elections.

    It was unthinkable for the BJP to see a close contest, let alone win an election, in Mandya, the hotbed of JD(S) politics. But with the two JD(S) MLAs from the Old Mysuru region shifting their loyalties and contributing to the collapse of the JD(S)-Congress coalition government, the BJP is trying to make a breakthrough.

    In the 2018 Assembly elections, Narayana Gowda, who was with the JD(S) back then, defeated Congress’ KB Chandrashekar with a margin of about 9,000 votes. The fact that JD(S)’ voteshare was 50.58% and the BJP’s was as low as 5.64% best describes the latter’s presence in this Vokkaliga-dominated constituency.

    The entry of Gowda to the BJP has, for the first time, opened up a triangular contest in KR Pet. The Congress has fielded Chandrashekar this time too and the JD(S) has nominated zilla panchayat member BL Devaraj.

    The situation is no different in Hunsur. The last election saw disqualified MLA AH Vishwanath from the JD(S) winning against the Congress’ HP Manjunath. Of the total votes polled, 49.22% went to Vishwanath, 44.62% for the Congress candidate and only 3.44% went to the BJP.

    “But this time, the BJP is one of the main contenders in both the constituencies. The contest in KR Pet is triangular, and in Hunsur, the fight is between the BJP and Congress. We are hopeful of winning both the seats,” BJP state vice-president B Somashekhar told ET.

    In Hunsur, the Congress has fielded former MLA Manjunath and the JD(S) has given ticket to Devarahalli Somashekhar.

    The Congress and the JD(S) reject BJP’s claims of a triangular fight and say that the BJP stands no chance.

    “Both the constituencies have traditionally seen contest between the Congress and the JD (S). In Old Mysuru region, people weigh party over the candidate. Hence, the disqualified MLAs now contesting from the BJP will make no difference to the politics of the region,” Congress leader M Ramachandrappa said.



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