MYSORE: The imminent ouster of Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa in the wake of the Lokayukta report’s indictment in the illegal mining scam, has sent the jitters among the BJP cadre in the old Mysore region.This would prove to be a boon to the Congress, as a divided BJP would find it difficulties taking on them and the JD(S) in a region that is dominated by Vokkaligas, dalits and the backward classes.Once considered a Congress stronghold, over the years Yeddyurappa and many other leaders have managed to make deep inroads in the region. The BJP’s vote share has also increased considerably under the CM’s stewardship, resulting in victories in by-polls and elections to legislative council and local bodies.Yeddyurappa’s absence, therefore, would give the Congress and JD(S) an edge as many BJP old timers, particularly those from Veerashaiva community, who had identified themselves with the BJP would slowly shy away.In fact, it was under the now disgraced CM’s leadership did the BJP find takers in rural pockets. The party threw up a surprise when it won all the three assembly seats in Mysore city and also the Lok Sabha seat when it was pitted against the scion of the Mysore Wadiyars under the Congress.The biggest shocker to the Opposition parties came when the BJP lost out narrowly in the polls in Mysore and Chamarajanagar parliamentary constituencies. The BJP with no high-profile leader banked solely on Yeddyurappa and put up an impressive performance in Nanjangud, Gundlupet and Chamarajanagar assembly seats, where it lost out by margins ranging from one to two thousand votes.The CM gaining the confidence of Veerashaiva mutts and farming community sent shock waves within the Opposition camps.Apart from granting surplus funds for Dasara celebrations and promoting tourism, the CM also gave special grants to city corporations and town municipalities.However, in Yeddyurappa’s absence the BJP may feel the pinch while taking on heavyweights of the region.The BJP lacks leaders who can take on H D Kumaraswamy or Siddaramaiah as until now it has had no option other than Under Yeddyurappa...■ The BJP managed to retain two seats in Mysore ■ Won the Kodagu assembly seat ■ Wrested Kollegal assembly (SC reserved) seat from Congress with comfortable majority ■ Improved its vote share and won a couple of zilla panchayat seats in Hassan, the native of former H D Deve Gowda.■ Enticing dalits, tamils and backward communities into party fold ■ Won by-polls in Ramanagaram, the home constituency of former CM H D Kumaraswamy, and Bangarpet reserve constituency in Kolar ■ Won brownie points with ‘statue diplomacy’ by unveiling the statue of Tamil poet Thiruvalluvar in Bangalore.Gesture considered a key factor in mobilising the Tamil population in Kollegal ahead of the by-polls and the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike polls.
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