Mandya: While she became an overnight success, upsetting the JD(S) in its own backyard, actress and MP, Ramya is aware that these Lok Sabha elections will be the real test of her standing power in Mandya.
The sudden loss of her foster father had fetched her sympathy votes in the bypoll that sent her to parliament a few months ago.
But not only does she have no such factor coming to her aid these polls, she is also having to deal with the internal party feud which has dogged her campaign over the last few weeks.
Though Monday’s convention in Mandya saw housing minister, M.H. Ambareesh and former Chief Minister, S.M. Krishna share a common dais and appeal to voters on Ramya’s behalf, the show of unity did not fool anyone.
The young MP could be in trouble even if 30,000 ‘guaranteed’ Congress votes are diverted to JD(S) as an offshoot of the faction war.
Also, the KPCC’s notice to Srirangapatna block Congress president, Lingaraju and its decision to remove Mr Sachadananda as Mandya DCC vice-president following the ruckus at Ramya’s road show have put a question mark over the loyalty of these local leaders to the Congress these polls.
Unlike in the last bypoll, the presence of BJP and BSP candidates could make a big difference this time. While vice-president of the state Vokkaligara Sangha, B. Shivalingaiah, who has been fielded by the BJP is hugely popular in the community in Mandya and Maddur, BSP candidate, Krishnamurthy could take away some of the SC/ST votes that have traditionally gone to the Congress.
JDS supremo, H.D. Deve Gowda has campaigned extensively in the constituency to win back the trust of Mandya voters. But the combination of Dalit-Kuruba-Muslim votes may just bail the Congress out these polls.
