Mysore Set for 'King' vs 'Commoner' Contest, Acid Test for CM Siddaramaiah

Mysore-Kodagu Congress candidate M Lakshmana (left) and BJP candidate Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar (Image: X/yaduveerwadiyar and mlakshman2024)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed a mammoth election rally in Mysore on Sunday. Flanked by JDS supremo and former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda and BJP stalwart BS Yediyurappa, Modi took on the Congress government in Karnataka. The Gowda – Modi bonhomie was visible at the rally.

Though the Prime Minister refrained from naming Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in his speech, it is a known fact that he is the “real” candidate in his hometown Mysore.

PM Modi sought vote for the Mysore – Kodagu BJP candidate, scion of Mysore royal family, Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar, who, in a surprise development, got a ticket after the party denied renomination to two-time MP Pratap Simha.

Hoping to ride on the goodwill that the benevolent Kings of Mysore still enjoy among the people, the BJP has taken a calculated risk ignoring the caste arithmetic of the prestigious constituency.

Before Yaduveer, scion of the royal family late Srikanta Datta Narasimharaja Wadiyar (SDNR Wadiyar) had represented Mysore four times in the Lok Sabha. Interestingly, he won all four times on a Congress ticket and lost on the BJP ticket in 1991.

The Congress, meanwhile, has fielded a “commoner” M Lakshmana against the “King”. Lakshmana, a Vokkaliga, the dominant caste in the constituency, rose to fame by attacking previous MP Pratap Simha on a daily basis. With no money power of his own, he is banking on Siddaramaiah’s personal clout, party organisation and his caste sympathy to wrest Mysore from the BJP.

The Congress has fielded a Vokkaliga for the first time since 1977 to cash in on the disenchantment among BJP supporters from the caste.

Siddaramaiah has taken winning Mysore as a personal prestige this time as the Congress lost the seat under his chief ministership in 2014 and again in 2019, when he was heading the ruling Congress – JDS coalition steering committee. Winning Mysore during his last term as Chief Minister is important for him and he is leaving no stone unturned for it. He has repeatedly appealed to the voters of his hometown not to let him down again.

In a surprising development, he visited ailing BJP MP and former union minister V Srinivasaprasad at his home in Mysore to boost the chances of Congress in both Mysore and neighbouring Chamarajanagara, currently held by Prasad. The Dalit stalwart has declared retirement from politics, staying neutral in this election.

The Karnataka Congress president and deputy chief minister, DK Shivakumar, has also played the Vokkaliga card appealing to the people of his caste to vote Lakshman, as an adverse result might affect the careers of all Vokkaliga ministers including himself.

The Congress is hoping that a large chunk of Vokkaliga votes will swing in their favour this time. They are also confident of getting the maximum number of minority, Kuruba, SC/ST votes.

Siddaramaiah has already visited Mysore half a dozen times since the declaration of elections and is likely to spend more time closer to voting day, April 26th. His son and former MLA Dr Yathindra Siddaramaiah has been camping in Mysore overseeing the campaign.

The Congress is also pinning hopes on Pratap Simha’s silence and his unenthusiastic campaign for the “King”.

But the BJP is banking on the Modi charisma, Hindutva, Mandir and manifesto of the party. In the Assembly election in May 2023, the BJP was decimated managing to win just one seat here and this has been troubling them the most.

Local election handlers claim that they are depending on the grassroots workers to mobilise the voters and not having MLAs is not a big issue in a general election, which is being fought on national issues.

In a “King” versus “Commoner” fight, who does the presiding deity of Mysore Goddess Chamundeshewari give her blessings to? Both the “King” and “Commoner” claim she is on their side.