By Mohan Kayaka

Periyapatna is known for its excellent-grade tobacco leaves and is popular for its cultivation. In terms of elections, the Periyapatna Assembly Constituency always attracts attention due to the head-to-head contests between candidates from Congress and Janata Parivar. As the voting day for the upcoming elections draws closer, curiosity and excitement are on the rise.

Periyapatna Constituency has been in existence since India’s first general elections in 1952. Congress has been the dominant party in most of the elections, with Janata Parivar (Janata Party, Janata Dal, and JD-S) emerging as a strong contender in recent years. Although BJP succeeded in opening its account in one election, Congress and Janata Parivar candidates have generally emerged victorious in most of the contests.

Out of 15 elections held in Periyapatna Constituency, Congress has emerged victorious highest number of times, winning seven elections. This is followed by JD(S) winning three times, Janata Party and independents winning twice each and BJP winning only once.

The first-ever elections held in 1952 saw independent candidate S.M. Mariyappa defeat Congress nominee H.M. Channabasappa. In the subsequent elections of 1957 and 1962, Congress candidates N.R. Somanna and K.M. Devaiah emerged victorious.

Channabasappa, who had suffered a defeat as a Congress candidate in the first general elections, quit the party and contested as an independent in the 1967 elections. He was successful in winning a seat in the Assembly for the first time. In the 1972 elections, Channabasappa returned to the Congress fold and sought re-election, and he was successful in retaining the seat.

In the 1978 elections, K.S. Kalamarigowda, the Janata Party candidate, was elected to the Legislative Assembly, which is considered the lower house of the State Legislature. He was successful in retaining his seat in the next elections held in 1983, but this time, he contested on a Congress ticket.

In the 1985 elections, Congress, however, fielded L. Anand, who suffered a defeat against K. Venkatesh of the Janata Party, who won his maiden electoral victory. Former MLA K.S. Kalamarigowda made a comeback in 1989 as a Congress candidate and emerged victorious. Similarly, in the next elections held in 1994, K. Venkatesh wrested the seat from Congress, but this time as a Janata Dal candidate.

It was only in 1999 that BJP succeeded in opening its account in Periyapatna Constituency, with H.C. Basavaraju, son of late former MLA H.M. Channabasappa, emerging as the winner amid tough competition from Congress and Janata Dal candidates. However, in the subsequent elections, K. Venkatesh’s winning streak continued as he registered a hat-trick win in the 2004 (JD-S), 2008 and 2013 (Congress) elections.

However, luck eluded K. Venkatesh in repeating his winning feat in the 2018 elections as he lost to his traditional rival K. Mahadev of JD(S), who had failed twice in the 2008 and 2013 elections.

It is not easy to guess what is in store this time, and the only option is to wait and watch.

Periyapatna Constituency, which stands distinctly apart for recording the highest voter turnout in the Mysuru district, witnessed 85.80 percent voting in the 2018 elections. Among the total of 1,80,411 voters, 1,54,800 exercised their franchise.

JD(S) candidate K. Mahadev polled 77,770 votes and his nearest rival K. Venkatesh of Congress got 70,277 votes. The victory margin was 7,493 votes, and BJP’s S. Manjunath secured only 4,047 votes.

VOTER DATA

Male                                         :              96,930

Female                                      :              96,236

Others                                       :              7

Total                                         :              1,93,173

Specially-abled                         :              3,257

Above 80 years                         :              5,266

Aspirants

Congress                                   –              K. Venkatesh

JD(S)                                          –              K. Mahadev (Candidature announced)

BJP                                            –              C.H. Vijayashankar and Koulanahalli Somashekar

MLAs from 1952 to 2018

 Year           MLA                                                   Party

1952             S.M. Mariyappa                                  Independent

1957             N.R. Somanna                                     Congress

1962             K.M. Devaiah                                       Congress

1967             H.M. Channabasappa                         Independent

1972             H.M. Channabasappa                          Congress

1978             K.S. Kalamarigowda                            Janata Party

1983             K.S. Kalamarigowda                            Congress

1985             K. Venkatesh                                       Janata Party

1989             K.S. Kalamarigowda                            Congress

1994             K. Venkatesh                                       Janata Dal

1999             H.C. Basavaraju                                   BJP

2004             K. Venkatesh                                       JD(S)

2008             K. Venkatesh                                       Congress

2013             K. Venkatesh                                       Congress

2018             K. Mahadev                                         JD(S)