Devadurga: The BJP owes its success in the Devadurga bypoll largely to its state vice-president , V Somanna, who drew up and executed the strategy that made it easier for its candidate , Shivangouda Naik to overcome formidable challenges and beat the Congress, which besides being the ruling party, had the advantage of the sympathy factor working in favour of its candidate.
Most senior BJP leaders stayed away from campaigning in the constituency , leaving it all to Mr Somanna , who was appointed coordinator for the bypoll. Except for Ballari MP, Sriramulu and former ministers, Raju Gowda Naik and Govind Karjol, no senior leader canavassed for the party candidate here
Although he has worked for 13 by-elections in different parts of the state in the past, Mr Somanna, had no prior contact with the constituency and so had a herculean task before him when he arrived here on January 29 to take on the responsibility . “It was a hopeless situation when I arrived in Devadurga as most of the leaders who had worked for Shivangouda had deserted the party. And I quickly learnt that while he had done a lot of developmental work here in the past, he had earned some ill will because of his “ketta baayi” (bad mouthing). So I made an exhaustive list of prominent leaders of all castes and creed who mattered most in the constituency and tackled them personally. I also visited every village and thanda for 13 days,” Mr Somanna said , speaking to the Deccan Chronicle.
In his view the Congress failed to make an impression on voters despite announcing a Rs 200 crore package for the constituency on the eve of the bypoll, because people here resent the "lethargy" of the state government.
