Bengaluru: With elections to the state Assembly looming, the state Congress appears in trouble as it has lost two influential leaders among Dalits and Lingayats in Mysuru and Chamarajanagar districts respectively, who had helped it come to power in the 2013 assembly polls.
Former minister, V Srinivasa Prasad’s decision to join the Bharatiya Janata Party after being dropped from the state Cabinet, and Co-operation and Sugar Minister, H S Mahadeva Prasad’s sudden death could mar the prospects of the Congress in the two districts as both leaders had huge influence with their respective communities in both. In fact they played a big role in building the Congress in the two districts that were in the past thought to be Janata Party territory.
Not only did Mr Srinivas Prasad play a vital role in wooing Dalit voters for the Congress both in Mysuru and Chamarajanagar , but he also personally helped in Mr Siddaramaiah's victory from Varuna constituency.
And while Mr Mahadeva Prasad may have made a humble beginning in politics, he went on to become the face of Lingayats in Chamarajanagar . A staunch loyalist of the Chief Minister, he followed him into the Congress when he left the Janata Dal to join it some years ago.
Aware of Mr Srinivasa Prasad’s contribution to the party, he held several rounds of discussions with him to persuade him not to leave it, but the Dalit leader remained adamant. And now the Congress is having a hard time finding a candidate to take him on in the Nanjungud by-election that has become necessary after he gave up his seat in the assembly from the constituency.
