The Bharatiya Janata Party failed to retain its stronghold Malnad districts of Kodagu and Chikkamagaluru as two first-time Congress candidates A.S. Ponnanna (Virajpet) and Mantar Gowda (Madikeri) ended the BJP’s 20-year run in Kodagu, while in Chikkamagaluru the saffron party lost five seats to Congress. The biggest loss was of BJP national secretary C.T. Ravi.
The hilly Kodagu district, which has two Assembly constituencies, Madikeri and Virajpet, has been a bastion of the BJP for the last two decades, with Hindutva being an important plank. But this time, the BJP faced pressure in both constituencies with anti-incumbency.
Virajpet constituency had been represented by K.G. Bopaiah. This time, Congress candidate A.S. Ponnanna won the constituency, but in a neck-to-neck fight.
Meanwhile, incumbent MLA of Madikeri Assembly constituency in Kodagu district Appachu Ranjan, who was eyeing a fourth consecutive win, lost to Congress candidate Mr. Mantar Gowda, son of former Minister A. Manju.
In both constituencies, the BJP had been projecting Hindutva and even in campaigns the party relied upon Hindutva. “However, people were looking for change and development politics this time made BJP lose Kodagu,” said a leader.
Washout in Chikkamagaluru
In Chikkamagaluru, another BJP bastion, the party lost all its four seats to Congress, including Hindutva poster boy Mr. C.T. Ravi. In the last elections held in 2018, the BJP won four of five seats, while Congress won one. This time, including Mr. Ravi, all candidates suffered defeat.
Mr. Ravi, who was elected to the State Assembly four times since 2004 continuously, has been defeated by his former associate H.D.Thammaiah, who joined the Congress just a few days before the elections. The district has been a strong bastion of the BJP since 2004. The party improved its strength in the district along with the movement for declaring holy shrine Sri Guru Dattatreya Bababudan Swamy Dargah atop Bababudangiri, a Hindu place of worship. Hindu priests were appointed and religious programmes were also held during Datta Jayanti celebrations last year. However, the party suffered a jolt within a few months later.
