BJP

Congress

EVMS NOT TAMPERED: SIDDARAMAIAH AFTER VICTORY

Nanjangud, Gundlupet bypolls return joy to Congress; BJP’s stress on caste politics was its undoing in both constituenciesBuoyed by the party’s stupendous success in Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka BJP had assumed it would script a similar story in the bypolls to Nanjangud and Gundlupet assembly seats. But the bypoll results on Thursday came as a rude shock to the saffron party.While Gundlupet has been retained bywith late Gundlupet MLA Mahadeva Prasad’s wife Geeta Mahadeva Prasad emerging victorious, Nanjangud constituency has been lost by BJP’s V Srinivasa Prasad to Congress’ Kalale Keshavamurthy.Purging the BJP’s strategy that was largely based on caste and community equations, people in both the constituencies have voted for ‘development’ (Vikas) that their national leaders have been talking about all over India. Interestingly, the results turned out to be a boost for the hitherto worried Congress, especially after BJP’s euphoric success in UP and growing influence of PM Narendra Modi.Failing to acknowledge the changes in the political fabric of Karnatak a, BJP leaders had preferred to rely on caste and community sentiments which have been at the centre of Karnataka politics.However, what the saffron brigade failed to notice was the anti-incumbency wave against Srinivasa Prasad and his failure to bring in change in a reserved constituency like Nanjangud. Similarly, it was the spurt of developmental and empowerment programmes of Mahadeva Prasad (the Gundlupet MLA whose death on January 3 in Chikkamagaluru called for the bypoll there) that helped Congress retain the Gundlupet seat more than the sympathy wave post his death.Bolstered by the party’s performance, chief minister Siddaramaiah has withdrawn his ‘promise’ not to contest the assembly polls. “I will lead the party in the 2018 polls and we will come back to the power. BJP leaders have to understand that it is not UP, but Karnataka,” a jubilant Siddaramaiah told reporters, even as V Srinivasa Prasad, accepting defeat, announced his retirement from electoral politics.While the BJP pinned its hopes on caste politics in both the constituencies, a strong anti-incumbency wave forced people to vote for Prasad’s opponent Kalale Keshavamurthy in Nanjangud.BJP had assumed that a combination of BS Yeddyurappa-Prasad would ensure Dalit and Lingayat votes to the party, but the dominant Lingayats refused to be carried away by the combination. A senior BJP leader said, “Srinivasa Prasad joined the party amidst strong dissent. Some of the BJP leaders in Mysuru forced party leaders to admit Prasad into the party as it would bring fortunes to them. But on the flip side, people in Nanjangud are aware of Prasad’s anti-Lingayat acts in the past.”MB Patil, minister for water resources who was in-charge of Gundlupet along with energy minister DK Shivakumar, has attributed the success to the good works of late MLA Mahadeva Prasad. “For Congress, what Mahadeva Prasad had done in his constituency did wonders and helped Geeta Mahadeva Prasad sail through all challenges. Be it filling up of lakes, empowerment of self-help groups, people remembered Mahadeva Prasad’s work and that helped us,” Patil recalled.While the results turned out to be a humiliation for the BJP, its president BS Yeddyurappa’s leadership has won laurels. Despite the bickering within the party, it was Yeddyurappa who singlehandedly and relentlessly toured both the constituencies and sought the support of the people for his party candidates.Although the results have caused a setback, Yeddyurappa has emerged as a strong Lingayat leader with BJP improving its dismal performance compared to previous polls in the same constituencies.Lahar Singh Siroya, MLC, said, “In Nanjangud, the BJP’s vote share during 2013 polls was just 7,074 (KJP was 28,212). But today we have managed to get 64,878! Similarly in Gundlupet too, BJP had secured a mere 1,989 (KJP 66,048) in 2013. However, the tally has now gone up to 79,381. In both the constituencies, Lingayats are the dominant voters. This demonstrates that Yeddyurappa is still the undisputed leader among Lingayats and the entire community is behind him.”Meanwhile, the BJP leaders have a ready theory to counter the opinion that PM Modi’s influence does not work in Karnataka. “Out of the 13 bypolls in Uttar Pradesh during 2014, BJP lost in 11 polls to Samajwadi Party. But in the general assembly polls, the party made a stunning comeback. Similarly, BJP will also bring about a change in its strategy in Karnataka,” said a parliamentarian from BJP.The Congress may be sceptical about the vulnerability of electronic voting machines to tampering, but for chief minister Siddaramaiah it is not an issue, at least in Karnataka. “We cannot say tampering (with EVMs) has taken place in these elections,” he said. His party had only spoken about the “scope” for tampering, Siddaramaiah told reporters when asked about his stand on EVMs in the light of the outcome of the bypolls.The chief minister said he had asked the party candidates and agents to ensure that the EVMs were thoroughly checked and also told the officials to educate the voters about them. Siddaramaiah said he was told that the EVMs used in the two bypolls had Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT). His remarks come against the backdrop of a campaign launched by the Congress-led opposition on alleged EVM tampering after a string of defeats in the Assembly polls, including in Uttar Pradesh where the party was decimated. The Congress wants a return of the old ballot paper system but there are divisions within the party on the issue.