JD(S) is confident that it will retain its Mandya stronghold.
The farmers in Mandya need tractors and tillers. Bulldozers will not work to woo our farmers, said Zafrulla Khan, National General Secretary, Janata Dal (Secular).
Uttar Pradesh (UP) Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath participated in a road show in Mandya district in the Old Mysore region yesterday. The “Bulldozer Baba” talked about the benefits of having a ‘double engine’ government and also on the various farmer schemes launched by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which he said will aid the farmers of Mandya.
Yogi Adityanath, attended a road show in Mandya district in a bid to woo voters in the Old Mysore Region.
However, JD(S) is confident that the BJP will fail to make inroads in the district. “The double engine concept that BJP is talking about is pulling them in two directions. One that works to create a religious divide and another that works for corruption,” said Khan. He added that central figures like Yogi and Modi campaigning in the state will not affect the party, as their former Prime Minister H.D Devegowda is also actively campaigning for their party.
Devegowda (89) addressed a press conference on Thursday at the JD(S) Bhavan in Bengaluru. However, he did not speak on the party’s prospects in Mandya.
The Old Mysore region consisting of Chamarajanagar, Chikmagalur, Dakshina Kannada, Hassan, Kodagu, Mandya, Mysore and Udupi have traditionally been a stronghold of the Congress and the JD(S). The Congress is also confident of retaining its voter- base now that three JD(S) Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs), S.R. Srinivas, Srinivasa Gowda and Shivalinge Gowda have joined the Congress.
Anand Prasad, from Karnataka Pradesh Congress committee (KPCC) said, “Shivalinge Gowda has his own support base and joining the Congress has boosted his image as well. So, this time he will win with a bigger margin.”
Meanwhile , Khan said that the supporters of Shivalinge are loyal to the party and not the person.
Prasad also added that, the Yogi road show in Mandya was a “flop show” and that people will not encourage the UP model of governance in the state.
Meanwhile, the BJP is going all out in Mandya to woo Vokkaliga voters, as Home Minister Amit Shah launched the party’s campaign from Mandya last year. Captain Ganesh Karnik, spokesperson for BJP Karnataka said that they will win all six assembly constituencies in Mandya.
Dr. Harish Ramaswamy, Professor, Karnatak University, Dharwad said that the BJP has not had any Vokkaliga leader after Dewegowda left the Janata party and hence are trying to woo the voters. “The tactics played by the BJP in Mandya will have a small impact on votes. They may get 20 to 25 percent of votes. But the people will still go with the local Vokkaliga leaders like Dewegowda and DK Shivakumar than anyone else.”
