As Tunga river flows peacefully witnessing a big battle, in a small tea shop in Theerthahalli town — 60 kms away from Shimoga and heartland of many social movements — people are busy discussing the process of democracy ahead of the April 17 lok Sabha elections.
For Shivananda, a practicing advocate, this election is going to be very decisive and he is rather conscious of the inner details of the constituency. He said, “This is the second time that Yeddyurappa is contesting from Shimoga for Parliament. I sincerely feel that caste polarisation has taken place. lingayats (a dominant community in Karnataka and Yeddyurappa’s caste) and Edigas (toddy toppers community) play a major role in the electoral process. I feel it is a direct contest between the BJP and JD(S). The Congress, however, is in the third place. It is a tough fight but Modi wave is rising high which may lead to the victory of Yeddyurappa in this contest.”
In this small café, opinions often vary according to caste or class of the political commentator which also evolves with the emergence of Modi, the Congress politics and regional aspiration of JD(S) is also equally crucial for its survival. Then a farmer intervened, saying that development has been a major issue and there have been various changes in Shimoga. “Here caste plays a major role and Yeddyurappa and his development works speak for itself.”
Whatever the debate is, in entirety, it revolves around Yeddyurappa and former Chief Minister Bangarappa’s daughter Geetha Shivarajkumar here, who is contesting from JD(S) ticket. The consolidations of caste-based votes is crucial and Yeddyurappa — a lingayat strongman — knows the art of electioneering to ensure victory. A professor from Kuvempu University comments, “For him (Yeddyurappa) he is betting on his political future. The BJP needs him to consolidate its position in the State. We know that the image of the party has taken a beating but the BJP has bounced back and is fighting the Congress party which is playing backward class politics to the hilt through Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.”
Shimoga or Malnad (surrounded by hills) in Karnataka has been the birth place of many social movements which has changed the political landscape of the State. This election is critical for Yeddyurappa but not so for others as it evolves a new political process within the BJP. Yeddyurappa’s victory, however, is his second bid to enter Parliament from Shimoga after his failed attempt in 1991. He is leaving no stone unturned, though his rivals from the JD(S) and the Congress are greenhorns. Both the parties are using corruption cases against him as a weapon in this rather literate and politically conscious constituency.
Seventy two year-old Yeddyurappa is facing a serious challenge from JD(S)’s Githa Shivarajkumar, former Chief Minister late S Bangarappa’s daughter, who has described herself as a “clean and fresh” candidate. His Congress rival is a key Congress functionary Manjunath Bhandari who was office-bearer in the KPCC at Bangalore. His candidature has left a bitter taste in the local unit, particularly with Kumar Bangarappa, son of Bangarappa, who had also tried for the ticket to contest the elections. According to political analysts Yeddyurappa is banking on the rebellion inside the Congress and has also a split in Edigas votes which would be decisive for him.
The Congress and the JD(S) are using the weapon of corruption against Yeddyurappa, whose name is often invoked by the BJP’s opponents at the national level to deflate the party’s anti-graft plank. Yeddyurappa, who has often made it clear that he was not keen on entering the arena but the party, persuaded him to do so, is invoking the name of Narendra Modi, saying his wave is here as elsewhere.
In a road show at Shimoga, Yeddyurappa told The Pioneer that he was confident of victory. Yeddyurappa, a star campaigner for his party in the State after Narendra Modi, said he was also riding on the Modi wave like in the rest of the country. He said, “I am not convicted by any court. I don’t have to learn these lessons from Congress which is drowned in many scams. I am confidant of my victory to see Modi will become PM. We will win at least 20 seats in this contest.”
Yeddyurappa is seeking votes on the basis of his performance as CM, heading the first-ever BJP Government in the South which went into a self-destruct mode with open infighting and corruption charges against several Ministers, some even landing in jail. He is aided by strong cadre base campaign by RSS and his RSS background from the age of 15 standing him in good stead in organisation and management.
Yeddyurappa who built the BJP in Karnataka has crafted his political ascent that brought him the CM’s post, which he lost in July 2011 after the party directed him to resign after the lokayukta report indicted him on corruption charges linked to illegal mining. The Shimoga seat was held by Yeddyurappa’s son BY Raghavendra and Yeddyurappa who has the State wide following was persuaded by theBJP to contest the lS polls, hoping his presence would prove beneficial to the party.
Githa, wife of leading Kannada actor Shivarajkumar, is banking on Bangarappa who had a well-consolidated base in his home district of Shimoga. Shivarajkumar is a son of Kannada thespian late Rajkumar, who scrupulously shunned politics.
“No Modi wave. Only Bangarappa wave,” says Githa.Out of eight Assembly segments in the parliamentary constituency, the Congress is holding four, the BJP three and the JD(S) one. Eom/blr