Hassan: The Hassan assembly constituency hasn’t been a happy hunting ground for the Congress as it hasn’t had much luck in the elections here for decades. But can its candidate, H K Mahesh for the coming assembly poll, change the party’s fortunes?
The last time the party won from Hassan was in 1989 when Mr K H Hanumegowda won from the constituency. It later turned into a stronghold of the Janata Dal (Secular) , which won the 1994, 2004, 2008 and 2013 elections from Hassan. The BJP ‘s Hanume Gowda won from Hassan in 1999, but it too had to concede defeat to the JD(S) in later elections.
In 2008, when the Congress fielded former Minister, B Shivram from Hassan , the caste factor appears to have worked against it as the Congress leader is a Mullu Vokkaliga while the Dasa Vokkaligas are in a majority in the constituency. On the other hand, Mr H S Prakash of the JD(S), who won four terms from the constituency is a Dasa Vokkaliga, which is thought to have been a key factor in his election.
But internal bickering too has cost the Congress heavily in Hassan as it lost out to the JD(S) again in 2013 despite fielding Mr H K Mahesh, a Dasa Vokkaliga.
While the party has once again fielded Mr Mahesh these elections and is hoping the greater unity in its ranks will see him cruise to victory, breaking the hold of the JD(S) on the constituency, the Dal is again banking on its old war horse, Mr Prakash, in the hope of retaining the seat.
