Bengaluru: With voting percentage, especially in South Karnataka districts, hitting the roof, all three parties are claiming victory.
The districts of Chamarajanagar, Mysuru, Mandya, Hassan, Ramanagaram, Tumakuru, Chikkamagaluru, Chikkaballapura, Doddaballapura and Bengaluru Rural district have rekindled the hopes of the Janata Dal (Secular) of winning more number of seats. In fact, the JD(S) has been concentrating on these districts and categorised them as winnable seats. Party supremo and national president H.D. Deve Gowda and state party president H.D. Kumaraswamy spent most of their time in campaigning in these districts since they have been their fortress, which have seen erosion in the last ten years due to party-related problems.
KPCC working president Dinesh Gundurao told Deccan Chronicle that the increase in voting percentage is an expression of people's love for the Siddaramaiah government that has launched several programs for the welfare of all communities. “In the past, too, an increase in poll percentage has favoured the party in power. The Congress is going to win the election and form the government on its own. It may be true that the voting percentage is high in South Karnataka districts, but it does not mean it is going to help the JD(S),” he said.
Disputing this, JD(S) spokesman and MLC Suresh Babu said the increase in voting percentage especially in rural areas has strongly indicated the farmers’ hope of forming the next government under the chief ministership of Mr Kumaraswamy. “This time, a majority of rural voters have rejected money offered by political parties as they wanted immediate waiver of farm loan borrowed from nationalised banks. Even the people of North Karnataka are pinning hopes on Mr Kumaraswamy as the next chief minister. Two national parties have hoodwinked the people for the last ten years and time is ripe for the regional party to be at the helm of affairs,” he said.
He claimed that the increase in voting percentage in Old Mysuru region is due to large-scale voting by the Vokkaliga community – the backbone of the JD(S) plus other backward class voters. “The people are fed up with the Siddaramaiah government which did nothing but blame the JD(S) leaders, especially Mr Deve Gowda. This has angered the Vokkaligas who naturally supported the JD)S). You will see the defeat of CM Siddaramaiah in both Chamundeshwari and Badami constituencies at the hands of our party candidates. We are going to defeat KPCC working president Dinesh Gundurao too from the Gandhi Nagar constituency," he said.
Mr G. Madhusudhan, a former BJP MLC, said that the increased voting percentage shows the people's love for the Lotus Party, which is going to bloom in many new assembly constituencies. This time, the Congress does not have a strong a Vokkaliga leader in the constituencies dominated by the community. In those constituencies, the voters have preferred his party than congress. The lotus may bloom in Mandya city, he said.
A veteran Congress leader and former minister admitted that it is tough for the party to win at least five out of six seats due to internal bickering, absence of a strong Vokkaliga face, problems in selection of candidates and reluctance of former minister M.H. Ambarish to campaign for Congress candidates in the district. Besides, local party workers in Srirangapatna, Mandya city, Nagamangala and Melukote did not worked for the party nominees. Naturally, all these issues may help the JD(S) to perform better in the district. If at all the Congress loses despite being in power, the blame should go to KPCC leaders, who not only neglected the original Congressmen but also turned a blind eye and closed ears to all happenings within the party. A defeat will teach them a lesson, he noted.
