‘1983 Chamundeshwari election was Sampathige Saval for us’

Mysore/Mysuru: In his letter, former MLC D. Madegowda says, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is a lucky politician. Here is the excerpts of the letter:

“In the history of Karnataka politics, there has been no other politician as fortunate as you. Back in 1982, when you were a Taluk Panchayat member, you might not have even dreamed of becoming an MLA in 1983. That was the state of your financial situation at the time. Perhaps if the then Chamundeshwari MLA Jayadevaraj Urs had not displayed arrogance at the wedding of MLC Chinnaswamy’s daughter in December 1982, influential political leaders like former MLA Kempeeregowda and senior lawyer Mavinahalli Siddegowda might not have rallied to support you as an independent candidate. If that had been the case, Siddaramaiah’s name might not have been recorded in the history of Karnataka politics.”

“At that time, H.D. Deve Gowda, the State President of the Janata Party, with an intention of not allowing any other Vokkaliga leaders to grow to his stature, did not grant tickets to strong Janata Party candidates in the Chamundeshwari Constituency and denied tickets to MLA Kempeeregowda and senior lawyer Mavinahalli Siddegowda. Instead, he chose to give the Janata Party ticket to a weaker candidate, Thammaiah of Chikkegowdanahundi,” Madegowda recalled.

Display of arrogance

“This decision led Congress candidate Jayadevaraj Urs to display arrogance even before the election, believing that he had already won. At the wedding of MLC Chinnaswamy’s daughter, which was held at Sharada Niketan on JLB Road, Mysuru, Jayadevaraj Urs deliberately ignored Kempeeregowda and Mavinahalli Siddegowda, refusing to even acknowledge them for courtesy’s sake,” he recalled.

 “At that time, the Vokkaliga leaders at the wedding swore to defeat Jayadevaraj Urs, who was flaunting his wealth and arrogance as he was known as a wealthy man from Hinkal. Kempeeregowda, Mavinahalli Siddegowda, the current Chamundeshwari MLA G.T. Devegowda, Chikkannahalli Shivaram and I, through Koorgalli Kenchegowda, mobilised support for you as an independent candidate in the 1983 Assembly elections. This was our ‘Sampathige Saval’ (an answer to wealth and arrogance),” Madegowda wrote. 

“During this period, Kempeeregowda initially warned, ‘Don’t trust Siddaramaiah. He is a big opportunist.’ Despite this warning, all of us provided you our full support — financial, physical, and moral. In the shifting political landscape, we all unitedly supported you as an independent candidate, even ensuring the official Janata Party candidate Thammaiah of Chikkegowdanahundi retired from electoral politics, leading to your victory,” he said in his letter.