Maganige vote haakak bande: In Varuna, people's hearts beat for Siddaramaiah
Mysuru: “Maganige vote haakak bande” (I have come to vote for my son”) said 80- year-old Basavegowda, who had limped all the way from Kadvekattehundi to vote for Chief Minister Siddaramaiah at booth number 84 in Siddaramanahundi in Varuna constituency on Saturday.
He was followed by 85- year- old Ramu, who, confined to a wheelchair since suffering a stroke, was wheeled in by his wife, Jayamma, who quipped, “Can we forget our son? No, we want him to be Chief Minister again.”
Another senior citizen, Seethamma (name changed) ,who had come all the way from Kadvekattehundi said, “Rs 300 was given to Haalu matha Kurubas and Vokkaligas, but no matter what, my vote is for my son.”
Similar responses of many of the voters on Saturday showed it was not Dr S Yatindra, who is trying his luck from the constituency, who they were voting for in Varuna, but his father, Siddaramaiah. However, trying to stand up for their nephew, Mr Siddaramaiah’s brothers, 68- year- old Siddegowda and 60 –year- old Ramegowda said he had won hearts in just one- and -a -half years with his soft nature and willingness to respond to people’s problems. Confident of both their brother's and nephew’s victory, they added. "He (Siddaramaiah) has done good work, he deserves to win.”
Mr Siddaramaiah himself cast his vote along with Dr Yatindra at booth number 84 at 1.12 pm in Siddaramanahundi, Varuna constituency after performing a pooja at the Siddarameswara temple in the village and later declared he was confident of his son’s victory in Varuna and of his own in Badami and Chamundeshwari.
“I will cent percent win in Badami. The BJP may have fielded a dummy candidate in Chamundeshwari to help the JD(S), but I will win there too by a margin of over 10,000 votes. We will 100 per cent come back to power,” he asserted, speaking to reporters.
While the Chief Minister seemed popular in Chamundeshwari too,for many here the BJP meant Prime Minister Narendra Modi. "Mera vote Modi-ji keliye" said Neha (name changed) a North Indian settled in Alanahalli in the constituency.
Some , especially the educated like Avinash (name changed), a B.Com student, who voted in Alanahalli, said their vote was based on the work done by the candidates.
