In Shimoga, Yediyurappa Vs Bangarappa Family Drama Continues. Will Eshwarappa Add A Plot Twist?

(From left) BY Raghavendra, Geetha Shivarajkumar and Eshwarappa. (PTI File/X)

Three major rivers in the Karnataka district – Sharavathi, Thunga and Bhadra – are almost dry and the gateway of Malnad or hilly region ,Shimoga ,is facing an unprecedented heatwave. Braving the scorching sun and humidity, all three major candidates in the fray — sitting MP of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) B Y Raghavendra, Congress’ Geetha Shivarajkumar and BJP rebel KS Eshwarappa – are campaigning aggressively for the Lok Sabha elections on May 7.

Shimoga or Shivamogga is witnessing a high-voltage contest between candidates from Karnataka’s two powerful political families — BS Yediyurappa and the late S Bangarappa. Eshwarappa, meanwhile, is hoping to be a joker in the pack, making this election keenly watched across the state.

Raghavendra is the son of Yediyurappa and Geetha is the daughter of Bangarappa. Raghavendra’s younger brother BY Vijayendra is state president of BJP and Geetha’s younger brother Madhu Bangarappa is a Cabinet minister in the Siddaramaiah government. She is also the wife of Kannada film star Shivaraj Kumar, who is the first son of thespian the late Rajkumar.

FIGHTING FOR 30 YEARS

The Yediyurappa and Bangarappa families have been facing each other for over 30 years. In the 1991 Parliament elections, Yediyurappa lost on a BJP ticket to Bangarappa’s close relative KG Shivappa (Congress). In 2009, his son, Raghavendra, took revenge on Bangarappa by defeating him in his last election.

In 2014, Geetha, fighting on a Janata Dal Secular (JDS) ticket, came third against Yediyurappa. In the 2018 bypolls and 2019 general elections, Madhu Bangarappa lost to Raghavendra. With such an intense rivalry, the Bangarappa clan is determined to humble the Yediyurappa clan this time.

THE REBEL FACTOR

Yediyurappa’s longtime party colleague and the second in command during the 1990s, Eshwarappa has turned against him vowing to defeat Raghavendra for denying Parliament ticket to his son KE Kanthesh from neighbouring Haveri in this election. Using PM Modi’s picture and name everywhere, he is campaigning asking the BJP voters to dump Yediyurappa and vote him.

The Congress is maintaining a distance from him, asserting that the fight is between them and the BJP and Eshwarappa is an inconsequential candidate.

Worried over Eshwarappa eating into a chunk of BJP votes, Yediyurappa has been keeping a close watch on the situation. The Congress too hopes shifting of some votes to Eshwarappa could help them in a close contest. Dismissing both the candidates and parties useless, Eshwarappa has already declared his victory even before the voting.

Political analysts suspect the hand of local Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) leaders behind his unexpected revolt. It is well-known that some local RSS leaders are not comfortable with Yediyurappa family’s iron grip over the BJP in the district.

WINNING MATTERS

PM Modi has already campaigned for the BJP, heaping praise upon Yediyurappa. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has also campaigned for the party. Both the BJP and Congress have sent dozens of their state leaders to campaign and oversee the electioneering in Shimoga.

While the BJP is seeking the votes in the name of Modi and Yediyurappa,the Congress is seeking it for Bangarappa and five guarantees of the state government.

Geetha’s husband Shivarajkumar has added glamour to the campaign.

A win for Raghavendra, will tighten the grip of Yediyurappa family over the district. A win for Geetha will bolster the Bangarappa dynasty. Some feel that BJP has gained some lost ground in the past one week and the Congress is yet to reach its target.

Though no one is expecting Eshwarappa to win, the calculations are mainly about the votes he is likely to get. As he has returned from the political retirement to take on Yediyurappa family, he has nothing to lose. With a certain defeat on the horizon, he is likely to walk into the sunset.

The outcome will decide the future of one of the two families — Yediyurappa and Bangarappa.