Mandya's Political Landscape Heats Up as BJP Pushes for Lok Sabha Ticket in Alliance Discussions

 Mandya : With the Lok Sabha elections looming on the horizon, Mandya district finds itself at the center of political maneuvers, adding complexity to the already intricate alliance dynamics between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Janata Dal Secular (JDS). Leaders and workers from Mandya are intensifying efforts to secure the Mandya constituency ticket for BJP, challenging the existing JDS dominance. A significant development unfolded during the BJP district executive meeting held yesterday, where leaders demanded the party contest three to five constituencies, emphasizing the urgency of claiming Mandya.

The meeting, held at the private hall in Pandavpur, witnessed heated discussions, with former MLAs Prithamgowda and former minister S A Ram Das actively participating. Addressing the gathering, former MLA Pritham Gowda underscored the aspirations of activists who are advocating for the BJP to contest in key constituencies, including Mandya and Hassan. The distribution of the 28 constituencies for BJP's participation in the alliance is yet to be finalized. The former MLA acknowledged the historical dominance of JDS in several constituencies, especially in Mandya and Hassan.

Mandya emerges as a pivotal constituency, where JDS has traditionally held sway but faced stiff competition from BJP in the past elections. Activists and leaders in Mandya are rallying for the BJP to stake its claim in this critical constituency. With Sumalatha, the current MP from Mandya, expressing support for BJP, the demand for the party's representation in Mandya gains momentum. Sumalatha, who presently holds the Mandya seat, has indicated her willingness to compete in the upcoming elections.

Former minister Narayan Gowda joined the chorus advocating for MP Sumalatha, highlighting her past support during assembly elections. He emphasized that Sumalatha's candidacy should be considered given her contributions and commitment to Mandya. Gowda urged the BJP high command to allocate the Mandya ticket to Sumalatha, encouraging JDS to yield Mandya to BJP and contest in other constituencies.

Even before the formal announcement of alliance ticket distribution, BJP leaders and workers in Mandya are assertively pressing for their representation. The outcome of these negotiations will determine which political force secures the coveted Mandya ticket and holds sway in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. The political landscape in Mandya promises to evolve further as discussions and deliberations unfold in the coming weeks.