Congress penetrated 25-yr BJP fortress in Kodagu

Madikeri: The tiny district of state Kodagu, which has been a stronghold of the BJP for 25 years, has now elected Congress this time. The Congress party has a smile of victory in both constituencies. Only Congress has shown the taste of defeat in Kodagu to the two MLAs who were dreaming that they will win the 2023 elections as well. Congress has created history by shattering the stronghold of BJP in Kodagu. By this, 20 years of BJP’s rule in Kodagu has come to an end.

In Madikeri constituency, BJP MLA Appachu Ranjan had won 5 times. Ranjan, who had won the assembly elections in 1994 and 1999, was defeated in 2004. Later, Ranjan won three times in 2008, 2013 and 2018. But the BJP lost in the 2023 elections, Congress Dr. Mantar Gowda won by 4,402 votes. Ranjan got 80,477 votes while Mantar Gowda got 84,879 votes.

Former Speaker , KG Bopaiah had won three consecutive times in Virajpet constituency. After winning in 2008, 2013, 2018 and lost in 2023 elections, Congress candidate, former additional advocate general A.S. Ponnanna won by a margin of 4,291 votes. KG Bopaiah got 79,500 votes while AS Ponnanna got 83,791 votes and the Congress won in two constituencies.

If the caste politics of the people of Kodagu are calculated, Ranjan would not have won from Madikeri and Bopaiah from Virajpet in all these years. In the same calculation, two of them also competed again. But both facing anti-incumbency wave resulted in defeat of two candidates.

The local party workers and leaders were opposing the candidature of both leaders However, the High Command decided to field both veteran leaders which proved costly for BJP.

Both congress candidates are first time MLAs and even Ponnanna would become district minister for Kodagu. Since the last two years, Ponnanna and Mantar have been the talk of the people by responding to the problems of the people of the district. In particular, Mantar Gowda made a lightning move in the last MLC election and was defeated by a narrow margin. He not only created Mantar wave in Kodagu but also gave a big shock to the BJP camp.

All in all, in the last several elections, Kodagu went to the polls on the basis of Hindutva. Though there is no space for caste politics in Kodagu this time Congress changed the strategy and come to the calculation of caste politics, the party fielded Kodava candidate A S Ponnanna in Kodava dominated Virajpet constituency and Dr Mantar Gowda , a Gowda candidate in Gowda dominated Madikeri constituency. The new strategy of congress worked out. When the former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah visited the rain damaged area last year , a BJP worker had thrown egg on his car . Siddaramaiah had said that we will win in Kodagu and come to power. Today Congress has smashed 25 years of BJP domination.