Kuruba voters could be decisive for Gowda family

BENGALURU: Not long ago, people thought that the coming together of Congress and JD(S) to fight the BJP in the general elections would ensure a cakewalk for its candidates mainly in the

Old Mysuru region

, where the two parties, have been the archrivals for over two decades.


But with a few days left for polling, the alliance partners are reportedly regretting their decision since the ground-level party workers are divided between

Vokkaligas and Kurubas

in Mandya, Mysuru-Kodagu, Hassan and Tumakuru.

It has now come to such a pass that the Vokkaligas will decide the fate of Congress candidate CH Vijayashankar, a Kuruba in the Mysuru-Kodagu Lok Sabha seat. Kurubas will become decisive for former PM HD Deve Gowda in Tumakuru and his grandsons Prajwal Revanna and Nikhil Kumaraswamy, in Hassan and Mandya respectively.

Though official results of caste census conducted by the Siddaramaiah government in 2015 have not been made public, leaked report suggests that among the Other Backward Classes, the Vokkaligas make up 14% of the total population while, Kurubas account for 8%. Overall, the two communities form 22% of the state’s population and the equation is true in all four constituencies.

The major factor for the extended rivalry between the Vokkaligas and Kurubas, who are now broadly divided into Gowdas and Siddaramaiah camps, was the humiliating defeat that Kuruba leader Siddaramaiah suffered at the hands of Vokkaliga leader GT Deve Gowda in the Chamundeshwari assembly seat.

Siddaramaiah’s followers Kurubas are looking to avenge the defeat of their patron even though the Gowdas and Siddaramaiah have been putting up a united face and making a fervent appeal to join hands to defeat the BJP. Sources, however say, that there are strong apprehensions that the Vokkaligas may not back Congress candidate CH Vijayashankar, a Kuruba, and instead prefer the BJP’s Prathap Simha, a Vokkaliga.

Fearing that it may have a domino effect on senior Gowda and his grandsons, the party leaders have now given the task to higher education minister GT Deve Gowda to send a strong message to Vokkaligas to support Vijayashankar. “Only time will tell, how far this strategy had an impact on the community,” party sources said.

Many in the Congress and JD(S) confess in private that old egos and rivalries are affecting the coalition, giving an edge to the opposition. “The lack of trust between the Congress and JD(S) will work in the BJP’s favour. Siddaramaiah is not at all comfortable with Gowda and Kumaraswamy. Only because AICC president Rahul Gandhi wants him to work for them, he is doing so. They defeated him and humiliated him. How can he help them now?” asked a former minister and Kuruba leader, indicating the groundswell among the community leaders.

THE CASTE CONUNDRUM
The nature of party, caste background of candidates are equally important in defining voters’ choice. The Kuruba vote has been solidly behind the Congress party. Siddaramaiah would be keen to ensure that votes go to the alliance.

Sandeep Shastri
POLITICAL ANALYST

This election is more about should we elect Modi or not. Caste will perhaps take a backseat in these elections, driven by a nationalist fervour. Mandya and Hassan especially might see this new setup in action given the political novices fielded by the opposition. Tumukuru is one seat where caste might still triumph given that HD Deve Gowda is contesting.

Vishwas Shetty
POLITICAL ANALYST