Vijayendra had taken on the arduous task of leading the KR Pete campaign in 2019 and Sira’s seat now, and managed to win both.
The BJP’s victory in the election of Sira has been particularly momentous for the Chief Minister and his family. The candidate was a new entrant: Rajesh Gowda, who was denied a ticket by Congress, then jumped to the BJP. The leader in charge of the elections was the Senior Deputy Minister, Govind Karjol. But it was clear that this was a test of the abilities of Yediyurappa’s son BY Vijayendra as a campaign strategist and he has emerged victorious, reinforcing his image and chances for a bigger role in the party.
The BJP has never been a serious contender in Sira, who has always voted JD (S) or Congress to power. So far the BJP has not even come second in Sira. But this time, almost a month before the vote, for the first time in 40 years, Sira looked like a triangular contest. The JD (S) sent the late MLA B Sathyanarayana’s wife, Ammajamma, to retain her strength. Congress stayed true to its old guard by deploying TB Jayachandra despite his defeat in the 2018 polls. The BJP sent a doctor whose father had been a Congressional strongman in the region, but the big party denied him the opportunity to contest the by-elections.
Since October 15, BJP Vice President of State BY Vijayendra has been camping in Sira to lead the party’s campaign. Also in the December 2019 byepolls, Vijayendra took on the arduous task of leading KR Pete’s campaign where the match had never won. Candidate Narayana Gowda, who had joined the BJP from JD (S), won for the first time. But many chose to dismiss this as a one-time victory for the saffron party in the region, adding that the BJP still critically lacks the grassroots network. However, with Sira’s victory, Vijayendra has earned a reputation as a hunter of giants, taking on the mighty Gowdas in his stronghold of Vokkaliga and emerging victorious.
Speaking after the results were announced, Vijayendra said: “There was a perception that the BJP is a higher caste party and cannot win in the Old Mysore region. Today’s results have shown that it is wrong. People of all castes and communities have supported BJP. In the coming days, BJP will win more seats in the Old Mysore region. “
Sira’s caste split is strongly against the BJP, which is largely perceived as a party supported by Lingayat in Karnataka. The constituency has 60,000 Vokkaligas, more than 65,000 SC and ST votes, about 22,000 Muslim votes, and only about 5,000 Lingayat votes. For the JD (S), it was a desperate battle not only to retain Vokkaliga’s votes, but even to be relevant in the region. The constituency saw all political leaders, spanning three generations of the Gowda family campaign. For DK Shivakumar, it was to prove his worth as party chairman and a formidable leader of the Vokkaliga.
The BJP fought in elections here on the development agenda promising voters development funds if the party wins. The party had won just 16,959 votes, representing a mere 9.41% in 2018. Sira is one of the most backward districts in the region with severe drinking water problems and a lack of irrigation facilities for farmers. The BJP, which is in power in both the state and the Center, promised to deliver development if its candidate wins.
While the chief minister hardly campaigned in Sira, it was a very important test for him because it would not only strengthen his ability to win as a mass leader in the party, but also set the tone for his son’s future. Sources in the Yediyurappa field told TNM that he would use the victory here to position his son as a tough fighter who has been working to expand the party’s vote base and not just someone who uses his father’s influence as the CM to earn brownie points by easily taking on targets.
Some senior party leaders have also begun to recognize Vijayendra’s leadership. BJP Karnataka President Nalin Kumar Kateel praised Vijayendra saying that he is ‘Arjuna who will win the Dharma Yudh for BJP in Sira’. While senior minister Sriramulu had publicly called Vijayendra – Chhatrapati Shivaji.
The expansion of BJP’s presence in the Old Mysuru region has a significant long-term impact. The region is the largest in the state with 55 seats and has been considered a Vokkaliga belt in which the BJP has been the weakest. Now that the BJP wins seats in districts such as Mandya, Hassan and Tumakuru, it can hope to consolidate its place in the region.
