Karnataka elections: Yediyurappa's son might find it difficult in Shikaripura

Bengaluru: All set to make his electoral debut, B.Y. Vijayendra, son of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and former Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa, who is tipped to replace his father in Shikaripura Assembly seat in Shivamogga district, and calculations are that he might not enjoy the same support of voters as his father who represented the seat for eight times since 1983.

Despite being a popular leader, Yediyurappa lost the seat in 1999 against his nearest rival Congress nominee Mahalingappa. Shikaripura Assembly seat has been a stronghold of BJP since Yediyurappa won in 1983, 1985, 1989, 1994, 2004, 2008, 2013 and 2018.  In 2014, Yediyurappa contested Shivamogga Lok Sabha election and won and in the bypoll in Shikaripura Assembly seat his another son B.Y. Raghavendra won the seat. Raghavendra is the sitting MP of Shivamogga.

Now that Yediyurappa, announced retirement from politics, is making way for his son Vijayendra in Shikaripura, rival parties sniff a chance to trounce BJP since they doubt that Vijayendra does not have the same clout to that of his father.

A leader in Shikaripura seat told Deccan Chronicle that Yediyurappa won the seat over his image at the State level as a Chief Ministerial candidate in BJP and not on developmental works. Explaining, he said, voters favoured Yediyurappa under the impression that he would be the CM if BJP is voted to power and that Shikaripura would benefitted from him. But, voters’ expectations of development of Shikaripura never come true.

Giving a similar reaction was Mahesh Hulmar, a Congress leader of Shikaripura said farmers voted for Yediyurappa hoping that their lands (Bagair Hukum) would be ‘regularised’ if voted to BJP but nothing substantial happened.

Hoping that Congress party would make a comeback in Shikaripura seat in the ensuing election, Mahesh pointed out that in the local body election in Shikaripura, Congress candidates won in 12 wards, three wards went to independents and 8 seats were won by BJP having Yediyurappa as MLA.

Recalling the recent Banjara community protest in which stones were pelted at the house of Yediyurappa, a leader said Yediyurappa stated that no action would be initiated against protesters and in fact 22 persons have been booked by the police over the stone pelting at his residence in Shikaripura and such ‘false’ promises of Yediyurappa would prove costly for the BJP in the ensuing elections.

Besides, the voters of Banjara community in Shikaripura said to be not keen on backing BJP atleast in Shikaripura over their displeasure over the internal reservation decision of the State Government. The Banjara community wants the State Government recommendation on internal reservation withdrawn. Banjara community constitutes about 31,000 votes in Shikaripura and sources state that majority of the voters would shift away from BJP.

People are also unhappy over failure to make optimum use of River Kumudavathi flowing through Shikaripura and they felt that more lands could have been brought under irrigation had elected representatives made use of the River Kumudavathi.

In Shikaripura, leaders of rival parties said that Yediyurappa benefited from the division of votes in the Lingayat community such as Sadar, Nolamba, among others sub castes and Yediyurappa is a Lingayat.

Leaders point that Mahalingappa who defeated Yediyurappa in 1999 election belonged to Sadar Lingayat and Sadar sub castes are dominant in Shikaripura while Yediyurappa is a Ganiga Lingayat. They also recalled that H.S. Shantaveerappa Gowda belongs to Sadar Lingayat and he posed a stiff challenge to Yediyurappa in 2008 and 2013 elections.

Shikaripura BJP Taluk president Virendra stated that Vijayendra has also gained popularity to that of his father Yediyurappa in the State and has worked for the success of the party nominees in bypolls.

Exuding confidence that Vijayendra would win the ensuing poll, he said he expects a victory margin of about 50,000 votes against his nearest rival in the fray and that the voters of the constituency have accepted Vijayendra.

In Shikaripura seat, there has been a direct fight between the BJP and the Congress. While, BJP is confident of retaining the seat and Congress party hopes to make a comeback.