Pratap Simha bucks trend, retains seat on Modi wave

Mysuru: Pratap Simha has emerged victorious for the second time in succession in Mysuru, braving the anti-incumbency and a combined force of Congress and JD(S) in the constituency, once a stronghold of Congress.
For the past two decades, both Congress and BJP have been winning the seat every alternate election, but Pratap has now broken this cycle by winning with a huge margin of 1.3 lakh votes. He had predicted that he would win with a margin of 1.5 lakh votes. No doubt Pratap, who polled 6.6 lakh votes, sailed through comfortably on Modi wave against his nearest contender CH Vijayshankar of Congress. The BJP leaders and Pratap too attributed the victory to Modi factor.
Moreover, the BJP’s victory is being touted as a defeat for former chief minister Siddaramaiah in his hometown once again as the former CM was adamant over leaving the seat to JD (S) with whom Congress had entered into a pact. Siddaramaiah had lost Chamundeshwari assembly election a year ago, and the defeat of his confidant CH Vijayshankar, the Congress candidate, has further weakened his hold. But the defeat has armed Siddaramaiah to argue that alliance with the JD(S) didn’t work for Congress.
Congress workers allege that the alliance with JD(S) didn’t work well for them as JD(S) cross-voted for BJP. The JD(S) has three MLAs, two ministers and the party president in Mysuru, but it didn’t help Congress in any way. Previously, the margin of defeat for Congress was just 31,000 but even with the support of its alliance partner, Congress has lost with a big margin.
JD(S) party chief AH Vishwanath, the MLA from Hunsur, owned responsibility for the defeat of Vijayshankar, but finally reasoned that it is the voters’ verdict.
From day one of the alliance, there were differences between party workers at the grassroot level. Congress-JD(S) leaders’ calculations of winning the polls easily went awry as they failed to settle the differences and worked for the victory of joint candidate except for holding a rally of heavy weights like former PM HD Deve Gowda, Siddaramaiah and CM HD Kumaraswamy.
Congress workers allege that since some Congress leaders worked for Independent candidate Sumalatha in Mandya, JD(S) activists in Mysuru hit back by supporting Pratap Simha, a Vokkaliga. Some claimed that instead of CH Vijayshankar, a Kuruba and a confidant of Siddaramaiah, Congress must have fielded a Vokkaliga candidate.
HD Deve Gowda has aspired to contest from Mysuru and even district minister GT Devegowda planned to field his son Harish but Siddaramaiah was adamant about leaving the seat to alliance partner. Congress anticipated an easy win even if they get 10-20 % votes from JD(S) but it didn’t happen.
Except in Periyapatna and NR Mohalla, BJP has maintained consistent lead in six other assembly constituencies including two in Kodagu and Chamundeshwari that has highest Vokkaliga voters.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and top senior BJP leaders campaigned for Pratap Simha in Mysuru as they did in 2014 when Pratap got elected to the lower house of Parliament. As the margin increased for Pratap Simha, the MP re-tweeted PM Narendra’s Modi’s message – “Sabka sath, Sabka vikas…” in the noon hours.
Fourth win for BJP
This is the fourth win for BJP in Mysuru Lok Sabha seat whereas Congress had won 13 times in Mysuru. CH Vijayshankar had won for BJP in 1998 and 2004. Now Pratap Simha’s second victory in succession has taken the tally to four.