Old Mysore region is once again set to emerge as a key political battlefield for traditional rivals Janata Dal (S) and Congress during the forthcoming gram panchayat elections.
Even though gram panchayat elections are not fought on party symbols, it is common knowledge that grassroots-level workers and supporters of parties throw their hats in the ring to further their political aspirations.
The JD(S), which draws its strength from its support base concentrated in the Vokkaliga heartland of Old Mysore region, is wary of a possible dilution of the party’s identity at the grassroots level in the wake of its tie-up with the Congress to not only form a coalition government, but also share seats in the last Lok Sabha elections.
Hence, the significance of the timing (eve of the gram panchayat elections) and the venue (Mysuru) chosen by former Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy to unleash his harshest attack in recent times against the Congress is not lost on political observers. The JD(S) leader was repentant for aligning with the Congress to form a government after the 2018 polls while sounding nostalgic about the party’s alliance with the BJP during 2006-08.
For decades, the Congress and the JD(S) had slugged it out against each other in election after election in most parts of Old Mysore, encompassing the districts of Mysuru, Mandya, Chamarajanagar, and Hassan, among other areas. The local JD(S) leaders preferred to align with the BJP in many hung urban and rural local bodies.
Making amends
The JD(S) is so keen on retaining its political ground that the run-up to the gram panchayat elections has also seen former Minister and JD(S) MLA S.R. Mahesh calling on sulking party MLA G.T. Deve Gowda, who represents Chamundeshwari constituency, and seeking his participation in the poll campaign. Mr. Mahesh also expressed his readiness to apologise to Mr. Gowda if he had erred earlier.
The Congress, which claimed to have won the most number of gram panchayat seats in the last elections in 2015, has also activated its poll machinery and is preparing for a ‘Gram Janadhikara’ convention for Chamundeshwari constituency that will be addressed by the former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in Mysuru on December 18.
The ruling BJP, which has hitherto been an also-ran in most rural areas of Old Mysore, is holding Gram Swaraj conventions in various taluks in the hope of making inroads into the region in the coming polls by capitalising on its good performance in several parts of Old Mysore in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.
According to political observers, gram panchayat elections are crucial for political parties and their leaders. “All the parties and leaders rely heavily on these gram panchayat members to mobilise voters during the elections to taluk and zilla panchayats, the Assembly, and even the Lok Sabha,” said a leader.
