Notwithstanding the Bharatiya Janata Party replacing incumbent Shobha Karandlaje with Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council Kota Srinivas Poojary for the Udupi-Chikkamagaluru Lok Sabha constituency, it appears to be a tough fight if the Congress fields former Minister K. Jayaprakash Hegde as its candidate.
Mr. Hegde, who was with the BJP for the last nine years, including three years as the chairperson of the Karnataka State Permanent Backward Classes Commission, joined the Congress a couple of days ago after failing to get any positive signs from the BJP.
A senior BJP leader in Udupi said, “It would have been a cakewalk for us if Mr. Hegde was fielded. Even now we are sure of victory with Mr. Poojary as the candidate; but the cadres have to sweat out hard.” He further said, “The Congress candidate would have lost the deposit if Mr. Hegde was our candidate. However, with the former Minister now joining the Congress and most likely to be fielded as its candidate for Udupi-Chikkamagaluru, tough times are ahead,” he said. Besides the party support, Mr. Hegde had his individual image and personality that would have ensured an easy victory, the leader said.
Averting near-defeat
By shifting Ms. Karandlaje to Bengaluru North, the BJP has averted a near-defeat in Udupi-Chikkamagaluru as otherwise the cadres would have worked against her, said a party leader from Chikkamagaluru. Mr. Poojary was better to Ms. Karandlaje, who was said to be inaccessible even to party workers, let alone voters. Mr. Poojary was accessible to the common man and party workers though not many would vouch how many people he could help directly.
While Mr. Poojary was a good Parliamentarian and puts forth points effectively on the legislature floor, one would have to see how he overcomes the language barrier while getting constituents’ works done or projects approved at the levels of Central Ministries, if elected as the LS member, the leader said. As Mr. Poojary has studied only till Class 7, the leader noted very few have seen his proficiency in Hindi or English, a problem Ms. Karandlaje too had faced.
More on caste basis
Fourth-term MLC Mr. Poojary’s choice as the BJP candidate appears to have been made more on caste basis than any other factor, say party insiders.
While Mr. Poojary’s name was not in the race for ticket with former Minister Pramod Madhwaraj making strong bid against Ms. Karandlaje, the party high command sprang surprise on Wednesday when it announced Mr. Poojary’s name for Udupi-Chikkamagaluru while shifting her to Bengaluru North.
Mr. Poojary belongs to the Billava community that has seizable presence in coastal Karnataka and adjoining districts, including Shivamogga. With former Byndoor MLA B.M. Sukumar Shetty, who had got good leads for B.S. Yediyurappa’s son B.Y. Raghavendra from Byndoor segment in the 2019 LS elections for Shivamogga constituency walking into the Congress, Mr. Yediyurappa was said to be concerned about his son’s victory this time.
The Congress has already fielded the late S. Bangarappa’s daughter Geetha Shivarajkumar from Shivamogga, who belongs to the Billava/Ediga community.
To off-set this damage and to ensure more Billavas from across Shivamogga, including Byndoor, would vote for his son, Mr. Yediyurappa was learnt to have backed Mr. Poojary for Udupi-Chikkamagaluru, say party insiders.
