Bengaluru: Big names are locking horns in Bangalore North this Lok Sabha poll with the young and dynamic state Congress minister, Krishna Byre Gowda taking on Union minister, D V Sadananda Gowda of the BJP, who won from the constituency in 2014.
The US-educated Krishna Byre Gowda, popularly known as KBG , has already proved his mettle in the Congress by winning several Assembly elections, twice from Vemgal in Kolar and once from Byatarayanapura. He is currently minister for rural development, law and parliamentary affairs in the state government. Having worked at the grassroots and served in the youth wing of the Congress, he is no novice when it comes to striking the right chord with the people.
Mr Sadananda Gowda too is a seasoned politician from the BJP, who is banking both on his own political experience and the Modi wave to be re-elected. But seeing that the people of the constituency recently targeted him for failing to visit them or carry out any developmental work in their midst, he may have a hard road ahead.
The general category constituency covers the eight Assembly segments of K R Puram, Dasarahalli, Hebbal, Byatrayanapura, Mahalakshmi Layout, Pulakeshi Nagar, Yeshwanthapura and Malleshwaram. As in 2014, it had 2,40,1472 voters and Mr Sadananda Gowda won by a huge margin against Mr C Narayana swamy of the Congress.
But this time, he appears to have realised that it will be no cakewalk for him, as Mr Byre Gowda has done his groundwork in the constituency and has the added advantage of having the backing of Congress MLAs ,who represent five of its eight assembly segments and of the JD(S), which represents two, leaving only one for the BJP.
Congress insiders claim Mr Sadananda Gowda will lose because people have realised he has done very little for them. On the other hand, they argue that people from the constituency are familiar with Mr Byregowda's work and simplicity.
They also recall that in 2009, the minister had contested the Lok Sabha elections from Bangalore South against the late Union minister, Ananth Kumar and lost by a margin of 60,000 votes. "We will now have to wait and see if he has learnt his lesson and will perform to win," they add.
Meanwhile Mr Sadananda Gowda has begun campaigning to reach out to various section of the people in the constituency.
Voters still harking for the old?
Could RDPR minister, Krishna Byre Gowda seriously challenge sitting MP of the BJP, D V Sadananda Gowda in Bangalore North this poll? It appears he may as some in the constituency seem to be looking for a change. Said Mr Suresh Kumar, an architect from Malleshwaram, “This time we want KBG because of his track record and simplicity. We have approached him for all kinds of work and not once has he refused to meet us. We need someone who is accessible and he fits the bill.”
Mr Kumar believes Mr Byregowda may actually do something for the constituency unlike Mr Sadananda Gowda, who, he laments, never visited the constituency even once after being elected to parliament. “DVS was the railyway minister but did not bother get the required approval for the suburban rail for the city. I think, if he had done this, people would have voted for him. But he missed the opportunity,” he added.
Ms Aarthi Hegade, a housewife, however, wants DVS back as MP because of his political experience. “We want DVS to be elected again, as he is known for his leadership skills. If he is elected, he will not focus only on the issues concerning Bangalore North, but those relevant to the entire state,” she said.
