The Congress in Mysuru is set to play up the Vokkaliga factor to swing the community’s votes in its favour after two-time MP Pratap Simmha was denied a ticket by the BJP to contest from the Mysuru-Kodagu Lok Sabha constituency in the forthcoming parliamentary elections.
In the run up to the announcement of the BJP candidate, Mr. Simmha’s supporters had gathered in large numbers in different parts of Mysuru and Kodagu seeking the ticket for the incumbent MP.
Once it was officially announced on March 13 that Mr. Simmha, who belongs to the Vokkaliga community, has been dropped by the BJP in favour of the scion of the erstwhile royal family Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar, many took to social media to express their ire. Social media was flooded with messages to opt for NOTA to ‘teach a lesson’ to the BJP leadership in Karnataka.
Sources in the BJP played down the show of strength by Mr. Simmha’s supporters and said that the ’emotional outburst’ was expected. But once the name of the official candidate was announced, there were no protests, and things have settled down, claimed the sources.
The focus is now on the Congress, which is toying with multiple names that have been furnished by the local leadership to the party high command, including that of KPCC spokesperson M. Lakshman and Mysuru district Congress president Vijay Kumar.
Sources in the party said that caste factor and arithmetic will play a significant role in the selection of candidate.
The perception in the Congress is that the entry of Yaduveer has only made the task that much easier for the party, as the constituency has about 5 lakh vokkaliga voters, most of whom are dismayed by the ‘insult’ to Pratap Simmha. The Congress would be wooing them.
Apart from the caste arithmetic, the Congress has the formidable challenge of neutralising the ‘royal aura’ surrounding Yaduveer. The Wadiyar family continues to be revered in parts of Mysuru. Then there is the inevitable Modi factor.
‘’The Congress will bank on its own strength, of a rejuvenated cadre at the grassroots, and the success of the five guarantee schemes that has benefitted the rural populace,” according to a source in the party. Besides, the party is banking on its traditional vote base comprising Muslims, Dalits, and the Kurubas, the sources added.
This election will be interesting on one more count.
In 2019, the JD(S) had allied with the Congress against the BJP. Yet, despite the caste arithmetic appearing to favour the alliance, people voted to re-elect BJP candidate Pratap Simmha.
This time, the BJP has tied up with the JD(S) against the Congress. So, we can expect one more straight fight.
Whether the Congress can neutralise the BJP-JD(S) alliance by consolidating its traditional vote bank and by chipping away at the opponent’s Vokkaliga voter base is what everyone wants to know.
