Some BJP party workers speculate on a 2018 scenario even this time. Which is why, it is said, Vijayendra does not want to lose the chance to contest like last time. And, hence, he wants Shikaripura also, in case he is asked to keep-off Varuna at the last minute. A  wise decision. If one does not learn lessons from the past, he will perish.

Hail the Congress hero of Karnataka, Siddharamaiah, the former Congress Chief Minister of Karnataka and the incumbent Opposition Leader. Make way, he is entering the Varuna Constituency in Mysuru district to contest the May 2023 election to the Assembly. He has already won two times (2008 and 2013) from this Constituency and five times including one by-election  (1983, 1985, 1994, 2004 and 2006) from the neighbouring Chamundeshwari in Mysuru district.

Three major political parties are in the race for power in the 224 Assembly Constituencies in the State. They are the Congress, the BJP and the JD(S). Of course, there are other minor parties like Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI), Karnataka Rashtra Samithi (KRS), Communist parties and Independents. It is common knowledge that some of these parties and individuals are in the field either as dummies to defeat a targeted rival of major political parties by poaching into their votes or to extort money from the serious contestants, offering to withdraw from the contest.

But, some candidates are different from the ordinary. That is because of their political achievement, popularity with the vast majority of the people, being seen as a Statesman rather than as a time-server common politician. They may be unquestioned leaders of their own caste, in this caste-ridden country, but they have become leaders known all over the State. When such people enter the election fray, nobody will ask who? They will ask where? And also why? When a person achieves success in politics, he will be surrounded by a large number of followers, but at the same time he will have an equal number of enemies too.

That is the reason why the attention of the State and even the country, the media, the rival political parties, is firmly focussed on Siddharamaiah. No ordinary candidate he is. He who defeats him will become the ‘giant killer’ like late George Fernandes of Mumbai who in the late sixties defeated the uncrowned king of Mumbai, the Congress leader S.K. Patil in the election.

About 50 years in active electoral politics, Siddharamaiah has mastered the art and craft of fighting an election, winning and after winning getting a plum portfolio in the Ministry and then move around making audacious speeches as followers kow-towed at his presence, nay, at his feet.

Though his early political experience was staggering, soon he became so successful there was no looking back. It was a period of post-Emergency and the electoral ecology was conducive for the new political warriors opposed to Congress. Yes, he was opposed to Congress. Now, the irony is that he is the tallest standard-bearer of the Congress! And he is the beneficiary, superseding other senior warriors of the Congress. My experience is that to begin with, in democracy, an individual’s political life could be hard and even tragic burdened with the ideology. Soon, like snake shedding its skin, he discards the ideology. It may look absurd. But, afterwards, when he succeeds, it is a farce. And in today’s political arena, we see many such individuals. And we must simply grin and bear it.

As for Siddharamaiah, he was not the one who voluntarily plunged into politics with any ambition. Destiny beckoned him and he simply followed the path he could see. He himself has expressed this in a TV interview. As a local journalist, I have seen his political journey from day one. In early eighties, I had a socialist Sub-Editor M.R. Shivanna, who would join Siddharamaiah’s election campaign with great passion.

It was a period of despair, but soon there was spring of hope for Siddharamaiah. I guess, for a religious master and a political leader, success and acceptability comes from keeping their followers happy by giving them a post-dated cheque of hope for a happy future!  Whatever it be, Siddharamaiah rose to become the Chief Minister of the State for a full term of five years, that too as an unchallenged leader, unchallenged even by the Congress High Command. That speaks for his political acumen and mastery of the art of possibility in politics.

However, right now he seems to have been caught in an unenviable situation with his decision to contest from Varuna, which will be vacated by his son for him. He knows BJP will be his arch rival with JD(S) playing the spoilsport. And as mentioned earlier, there would be other dummies too. One last minute clever move by the BJP and one wrong step by the Congress may make him lose. But losing cannot be an option for Siddharamaiah. Therefore, he must have two strings in his bow in this electoral battle. It is for this reason he is seeking election from another Constituency too…

It must be remembered that in this election for BJP defeating Siddharamaiah is equal to defeating the Congress to come to power with a stable government.

It is for this reason BJP is searching for a strong winnable candidate for Varuna and may field a strong candidate in Siddharamaiah’s second Constituency also.

Having found none in Mysuru, BJP is likely to bring State BJP Vice-President and B.S. Yeddiyurappa’s son, B.Y. Vijayendra, a popular young leader to Varuna. However, he has neither said yes nor no because his father has already vacated his Shikaripura seat in Shivamogga district for him. After all, Shikaripura was his family’s pocket-borough.

It is reported that Amit Shah was keen on fielding Vijayendra against Siddharamaiah in Varuna as he is the only one who could challenge Siddharamaiah and even win. But to enter Varuna in deference to the wishes of Amit Shah should not push him into an embarrassing, no Constituency situation for him like it happened in 2018.

To recall, in 2018 Siddharamaiah decided to give up Varuna for his son Dr. Yathindra and contest from Badami in Bagalkot district instead. At the same time Vijayendra had started his campaign in Varuna being sure of getting the ticket and had even taken a house there on rent. I had personally travelled with him at that time twice and seen the popular enthusiasm for the young man with oratorial skill. When everything was going good for him and looked hunky-dory, a thunderbolt from the BJP High Command struck both father and son. A huge public meeting was arranged in Nanjangud on the given day to announce Vijayendra’s candidature. B.S. Yediyurappa had landed at Mysore Airport in Mandakalli and then he got a phone call from Delhi BJP High Command. Hold on. Do not announce Vijayendra’s candidature. Crestfallen father and son obeyed the diktat.

What prompted this last minute decision of the BJP High Command, people do not know even to this day. It was clear that Vijayendra was asked to leave because someone wanted Dr. Yathindra to win.

Some party workers speculate on a similar scenario even this time. Which is why, it is said, Vijayendra does not want to lose the chance to contest like last time. And, hence, he wants Shikaripura also, in case he is asked to keep-off Varuna at the last minute. A  wise decision. If one does not learn lessons from the past, he will perish.

And it is possible Vijayendra may win from both the Constituencies. In Varuna, there are about 70,000 Lingayats and rest a mixed bag. The total voters number about 2,09,121. Since caste and social equations have changed since 2018, the advantage seems to be for a Lingayat candidate. Otherwise why should Siddharamaiah ask for a second Constituency to contest? Anyway for now, make way… Siddharamaiah is marching into Varuna.

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