Will leader of the Opposition Siddaramaiah become Chief MinisterIJ For Karnataka’s Congressmen, it’s a million dollar question whose answer possibly lies in Varuna constituency of Mysore.
People say he is facing tough competition from Yeddyurappa’s key aide Ka Pu Siddalingaswamy of the Karnataka Janata Paksha, SD Mahendra (Bharatiya Janata Party) and Cheluvaraj (Janata Dal-Secular).
Varuna is a key constituency, very familiar to Siddaramaiah, a backward class ideologue for whom the May 5 elections are crucial.
People here say KJP’s candidate Siddalingaswamy, with a lingayat background, will pose a formidable foe for Siddaramaiah. They also say the JD(S) candidate might play spoilsport.
In 2008, when Siddaramaiah contested from Varuna, it had drawn the attention of the whole State. It was the first elections to the Assembly from Varuna after delimitation.
Varuna was chalked out of Bannur and parts of Chamundeshwari constituencies. Siddaramaiah was elected to the Assembly from the latter for the first time in 1983. Several parts of the erstwhile Bannur constituency are now part of Varuna, along with some parts of Mysore taluk (earlier with Chamundeshwari), Nanjangud taluk and T Narsipur taluk.
living up to expectations, Siddaramaiah emerged victorious - securing 71,908 votes against BJP man and former IPS officer l Revannasiddaiah, with 53,0471 votes.
Ka Pu Siddalingaswamy, personal secretary of BS Yeddyurappa, has made the constituency his second home. Since the BJP Government came to power in the State, Yeddyurappa has made it public to take on Siddaramaiah, declaring Siddalingaswamy’s name for Varuna.
A retired ACP, Cheluvaraju has also jumped into the fray as JD(S) nominee. He took voluntary retirement in November last to realise his dream of taking on Siddaramaiah in the polls. The BJP has fielded a first-timer, SD Mahendra - chairman of Karnataka Exhibition Authority (KEA).
According to available statistics, out of total electorate of 1.92 lakh, Dalits form a majority of 50,000 voters, followed by lingayats at 43,000, Kurubas at 30,800, Nayakas at 29,700, Vokkaligas at 16,000, Upparas at 11,000, Muslims at 6,000 and other communities 10,000.
The Congress leader has won five times, including the by-election in 2006 from Chamundeshwari. Varuna has 1,91,581 voters.