Low voter constituency Sringeri set for triangular contest

BENGALURU: Though the Sringeri Assembly seat spreads across three taluks-Sringeri, Narasimharaja Pura and Koppa in Chikkamagaluru district, the number voters in the constituency is about 1.68 lakh, making it a low voter seat in the State.

But, this low voter seat is all set for a three-cornered contest in the ensuing polls with nominees of Congress, Bharatiya Janata Party and Janata Dal Secular (JDS).

‘Hindutva’ factor has been the key in the recent past here, favouring the BJP nominee Jeevraj who won from Sringeri in 2004, 2008 and 2013 and the Congress party in the 1999 and 2018 elections. JDS is yet to open its account in the Sringeri seat. However, former minister H.G. Govinda Gowda had won the Sringeri seat in the 1994 election as a Janata Dal nominee.

In Sringeri seat,82, 688 are male voters and 85, 875 female voters of the 1,68, 564 voters. Vokkaliga voters are about 42,000 followed by Brahmans who are about 32,000 and others.

Since, 1999 elections, the Sringeri seat has witnessed a direct fight between the Congress nominees and the Bharatiya Janata Party nominees.

In the ensuing election, Congress has renominated its incumbent MLA T.D. Rajegowda while the BJP has fielded its former MLA Jeevraj as its nominee. The JDS has put businessman Sudhakar Shetty for the Sringeri seat who is contesting the Assembly election for the first time.

Talking to Deccan Chronicle on Saturday, Sudhakar Shetty said voters of the constituency are hoping for a change and yearn for peace and alleged that ‘Hindutva’ factor in Sringeri is a mere ‘vote bank’ politics but Shetty said “When people wish for peace they look to JDS to bring peace and tranquility in the region.”

Though the party last won in the 1994 elections, Shetty said to have made inroads into the constituency through his social service and exuded confidence of his win. “My three years of social service would help me to garner voters,” said Shetty, adding that he conducts campaigning for about 14 hours a day.

In the 2018 election BJP nominee Jeevraj lost to Congress nominee Rajegowda over division in Hindutva groups and Jeevraj lost the election by a slender margin of votes.

Sources in Sringeri said the seat would be a neck to neck contest and that the winning nominee would manage to win by a smaller margin of votes and all three party nominees have been campaigning vigorously.

The incumbent MLA of Sringeri Rajegowda has drawn criticism over constituency lacking in basic amenities particularly over the bad condition of roads and allegations of the MLA favouring his supporters in laying roads.

Confident of retaining Sringeri , Narasimharaja Pura Taluk Congress president Dr Amshumanth said “We are seeking votes in the name of development and every gram panchayat in the seat has seen developmental works which was not seen in the last 15 years of BJP in Sringeri.”

Besides, he said, our party cadres are spread out in 256 booths of the seat and are working for the success of the party nominee. The party nominee Rajegowda had earned the goodwill of the people to emerge victorious.

Former minister and BJP nominee Jeevraj did not respond to repeated calls.