Dhanyavad Yatra to 'strengthen BJP's foothold'

Haveri: Haveri MP and former Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai's 'Dhanyavad Yatra' is raising eyebrows in Haveri. Is this tour a strategy to strengthen the BJP's foothold ahead of the Shiggaon by-election? Some are wondering if it's a signal to introduce a family member into the fray, while others see it as a genuine expression of gratitude. The political landscape is rife with speculation as everyone weighs in on what this journey truly means.

While Bommai has clearly defined it as a gesture to thank the voters who supported him in the four assembly elections, Congress leaders feel this is a prelude to the by-election.

Basavaraj Bommai, son of the former Chief Minister SR Bommai, began his political career with Janata Dal in the 1990s. Bommai who was with JD(U), switched to the BJP and won the Shiggaon Assembly seat in 2008, a victory he replicated in 2013, 2018, and 2023.

As a close confidant of BS Yediyurappa, Bommai held several key ministerial positions, including Law and Parliamentary Affairs, Cooperation, and Irrigation, before succeeding Yediyurappa as Chief Minister in 2021.

Recently, Bommai won the Haveri parliamentary seat, leaving the Shiggaon assembly seat vacant and necessitating a by-election.

With the BJP having lost the 2023 assembly election in Karnataka, the party is keen to avoid further losses and is determined to win the Shiggaon seat.

The Shiggaon seat holds significant prestige for Bommai. The Congress is expected to campaign vigorously to prevent the BJP from reclaiming it, placing Bommai under pressure to ensure a victory. Rumors suggest the BJP might field Bommai's son.

Party insiders believe Bommai’s Dhanyavad Yatra is more than a gesture of gratitude; it's a strategic move to secure the by-election. In the recent parliamentary elections, the BJP trailed behind the Congress by about 8,500 votes in the Shiggaon segment, heightening fears within the party. Losing this seat could damage Bommai’s reputation, especially if his son contests and faces an initial defeat.

The Yatra, expected to engage party workers and voters directly, aims to boost morale and establish a strong connection with the electorate. Such personal outreach, framed as a gesture of thanks, could potentially sway public sentiment. While it serves as a campaign effort, presenting it as a ‘Dhanyavad’ (thanks) Yatra might resonate positively with the public.

Congress leaders view the Dhanyavad Yatra as mere groundwork with limited impact.

“Bommai’s Yatra clearly aims at the forthcoming by-election. We saw the Congress outpolling BJP in the Shiggaon segment during the parliamentary elections. We are confident of replicating that success and winning the seat this time,” the DCC president Sanjeev Kumar Neeralagi told Deccan Chronicle.