Prasad joined BJP to attract one caste: R Dhruvanarayan, Chamarajnagar Congress MP
Chamarajnagar Congress MP Dhruvanarayan, who played a significant role in the victory of the Congress in the bypoll in Nanjangud which comes under his constituency, accepted in an interview with Deccan Chronicle that victory was not easy after a tall Dalit leader of old Mysuru region(Srinivasprasad) left the party. "Besides developmental works by the state government, apt candidate selection and a united planned approach paid off for us," he says.
Mr Druvanarayan also opened up on candidate selection saying, "Srinivasprasad had told me that if there was someone who could give him a good fight, it was Keshavamurthy who had lost by a small margin in the previous election in 2013." According to him, the Congress got votes from all backward communities including Upparas and Nayakas, minorities, besides a chunk of Dalit and Lingayat votes. Excerpts from the interview.
Many Congressmen say you conceived the strategy for Nanjangud?
It is not me alone, it was a collective responsibility and the election campaign was conducted under the leadership led by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. After a senior leader (Srininvasprasad) left us, many left along with him. There was confusion and we had to reorganise the party. Since Nanjangud comes under my parliamentary constituency, it was my bounden duty to organise the party. I toured villages, convinced people. I agree I took the initiative as far as candidate selection is concerned, I tried to convince the CM on getting Kalale into the party. He was from JD(S) and had contested twice and lost. He had bagged 41,800 votes in the last assembly elections and enjoyed a clean image. People from all communities had a good opinion about him. So he was the right candidate for us.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said voters had endorsed the Congress government’s programmes. If that was true, why were you desperate to get Kalale from JD (S)? You could have fielded an original party worker and won on Siddaramaiah's charisma?
Of course the developmental programmes of the state government were considered by voters. But, when a senior party leader had left us, we had to look for someone who could match him in some way. Surveys favoured me and Dr H.C. Mahadevappa (PWD minister) but we both had a long tenure left. We thought it was better to give the opportunity to someone else. I had toured with Srinivasprasad during his elections. I had worked with him. He had told me that if there was someone who could give him a good fight, it was Kalale. So I proposed his name.
Had the JD (S) fielded candidates in both constituencies, do you think the result would have been different? There is also talk of a pre-poll or post-poll alliance of the Congress with JD (S) in 2018.
All nine JD(S) counsellors and the ZP vice president joined Congress along with Keshavamurthy. JD(S) leaders supported us indirectly, they were with us. All Vokkaliga leaders in favour of JD(S) backed him. If the JDS had fielded a candidate, the victory margin would have been lesser.
It was only after Siddaramaiah assured me that Kalale would get the ticket that I took him to the CM. He(CM) requested H.D. Deve Gowda and JD(S) president H.D. Kumaraswamy to permit him to join the Congress. Kumaraswamy was in tears considering that they had to give up such a good man. Kalale joined us only after they both permitted him to do so.As for the post-poll alliance with JD(S), it is left to the party high command to decide.
What according to you were the mistakes committed by Srinivasprasad and BJP which led to their defeat?
I have nothing personal against Srinivasprasad. I was close to him. But he had nothing to do with my development, my political base was Bengaluru, I was recognised as a student leader of the Agriculture University, in the early 80s and was made state youth Congress president by late Bangarappa. Even when I shifted to Chamarajnagar in 1994 due to personal reasons, it was Rajshekar Murthy who helped me. Siddaramaiah and Srinivasprasad were in JD(S) when I became Congress MLA in 2004. But I respect him as a tall Dalit leader of old Mysuru region. I had requested him not to quit the party and told him people are not important, what matters is the party, its principles. We need to be patient and wait for our turn. Even when he was about to leave, I had requested the CM to give him some portfolio, and keep him with him. But once Prasad quit the Congress he started using such words which hurt us.
During elections, a leader has to speak about his work and how he had strived for people day in and day out. But Mr Prasad joined BJP to attract voters of one caste. Caste politics won't click always but our work does.
The BJP had a golden opportunity to grow when they came to power(in 2008). In other states they have continued in power for even three terms. But, I don't think anybody in history has faced so many allegations of corruption and earned such a bad name. The BJP has leaders who are good at organising the party, not in administering the state.
It is no longer a secret that your party virtually booked the Uppara, Nayak and backward class communities with money. And after the election, the Congress says it was a vote for development.
Blaming money power is a desperate statement which one makes when he loses. It is not true. The elections were held under the strict supervision of the Election Commission and central forces. This only maligns voters of the constituency. Even they(BJP) had money, It is they who conducted operation Kamala. But I agree backward classes, minorities, Lingayats and SCs backed us.
We toured the constituency but could see no development. How can you claim Congress ensured development?
Having won twice Srinivasprasad could have done good work by planning systematically. He could not spend much time with his people. I would not say he is incapable but his health was an issue. We will complete pending projects including projects worth Rs 600 crores allotted to Nanjangud recently.
What should be the Congress strategy for 2018?
The preparations must begin now. If all leaders work together honestly, nobody can defeat the Congress. In Congress our own people ditch us. Ahead of the by-elections, Janardhan Pooojary and A.H. Vishwanath made statements against us I feel candidate selection is very important. We should refrain from lobbying. Sometimes candidate with no chance of winning get tickets.
What caste combination can the Congress rely upon?
We have the support of backward classes and Dalits, we also have leaders from forward communities. And we have a mass leader in Siddaramaiah, who has given good administration. He is from a farmer's family, who knows the problems of the poor, he is with the workers. But BJP leaders adopt a policy of ‘touch me not.’
