A 1,000-year-old serene Boghanandishwara temple at the landing of the famous Nandi Hills at Nandi village stands a mute witness to the ongoing battle for supremacy at Chikkaballapur Parliamentary constituency adjoining IT city Bangalore. A serpentine road just 40 kilometres away from IT city Bangalore wading through Kempegowda International Airport surrounding vineyards leading to Chikkaballapur which witnessed a upsurge of real estate boom, has now become rallying point of a crucial political battle.
The Chikkaballapur town surrounded by five hills including famous Nandi Hills is witnessing a raising temperature added to the political heat and dust. The Nandi Valley is now facing the churning of democracy.
Two former Karnataka Chief Ministers are in the fray in Chikkaballpur constituency in the high voltage fight for supremacy. Former Chief Minister and Union Petroleum Minister M Veerappa Moily is contesting on a Congress ticket and another former Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy of the JD(S) is putting all his might in the decisive battle. BJPs former Minister, BN Bache Gowda, the son of the soil is taking on both of them hoping for a consolidation in the Modi wave. But AAP candidate, retired DIG of Border Security Force (BSF) Arkesh, is standing amidst all these cacophony of elections. Both Moily and Kumaraswamy are in the list of corrupt politicians released by AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal.
After Kumarswamy’s entry, the arena at Chikkaballapur has become cynosure of all eyes. Moily, who had won in 2009 from Chikkaballapur, by a margin of over 50,000 votes against BJPs Ashwathnarayana is facing a daunting task in the triangular contest. No one knows the impact of AAP but it is certain that this constituency is poised for a triangular fight. In 2009 JD(S) candidate, CR Manohar, had secured 1,86,000 votes destroying the chances of the BJP. In fact, when Kumaraswamy was the Chief Minister of Karnataka, this small district of Chikkaballapur was formed dividing Bangalore Rural, one of the biggest Parliamentary constituencies in the country.
Even though Moily claims he has developed the constituency, people here think he was an outsider. Congress insiders say it was a crucial election for Moily who is facing a daunting task. Moily who claims since he has done so much for the constituency, finds it possible to wade through dividing Vokkaliga votes between Kumaraswamy and Bache Gowda. This constituency which is bordering Seemandhra has pent up anger against the Congress for dividing Andhra Pradesh. According to Chinnappa, a migrant land owner, said that Congress is to be blamed for the plight of Seemandhra people. For Obala Reddy, who has lost Tomato crops blames the Congress Government which has failed to protect the interest of the farmers.
If media reports are any indication, there is enough reason for him to feel rattled. He is facing an angry backlash from voters over his unfulfilled promise of water made during the last elections. This strong anti-incumbency factor can work against him and prove to be a sore point, pushing him to meet his Waterloo. As far as this issue is concerned, he finds himself on a sticky wicket.
It is a known fact in this constituency OBC, SC /ST votes play a decisive role. JD(S) has two MlAs in this constituency and they might help consolidate a chunk of votes for Kumaraswamy. Kumaranna who is known for shedding tears at the drop of a hat, finds he was the son-in-law of the constituency as his wife Anita Kumaraswamy belongs to Chikkaballapur. Kumaranna has his own calculations to woo OBCs votes from the Congress to consolidate his position. Kumaraswamy is, however, taking a gamble on the support of certain financially sound leaders in Chikkaballapur. He is mainly banking on the support of film producer CR Manohar a businessman, had unsuccessfully contested the Assembly elections.
There are 16 lakh voters in the constituency, mainly OBCs and ST/STs. Vokkaliga voters do not add to more than two lakh. So Kumaraswamy and BN Bache Gowda, the BJP nominee, would be vying for Vokkaliga votes.
BJP has fielded BN Bache Gowda, former Minister in Yeddyurappa Cabinet, a powerful Vokkaliga leader has confidant of winning in the triangular contest. Bache Gowda has an advantage with the local population as he hails from this district. BJP finds Modi wave across and confidant of Gowda wade through the tsunami of Congress and JD(S).
The fourth candidate Arkesh, has been introduced to the people on his road show by Kejriwal last month. For the people of Chikkaballapur diverting water to the parched district from Yettinahole rivulet has become a major issue. Since the people of Dakshina Kannada and Udupi have opposed this project, Veerappa Moily who hails from Dakshina Kannada district has put him in a fix.
As this has become a poll issue in the constituencies of Dakshina Kannada and Udupi as the Congress candidates in these constituencies have opposed diverting around 24 tmc water from Yettinahole rivulet, a tributary of Nethravathi river, to cater to five districts around Bangalore in the lS constituencies of Kolar, Chikkaballapur, Bangalore Rural and Tumkur. Congress candidate of Dakshina Kannada constituency B Janardhan Poojary has openly opposed this project and said that he would not allow the project at any cost. For Veerappa Moily who is playing a major fiddle in the Congress Government it is going to be a decisive battle and decides his fate.