Months before the elections to State Assembly was announced, Channapatna was witness to a few serious skirmishes between the Janata Dal (Secular) and BJP workers, pointing to what could be a closely fought election. Inching closer to the election day, the land of toys promises an engaging battle as former Chief Minister and JD(S) candidate H.D. Kumaraswamy and former Minister and BJP candidate C.P. Yogeshwar head into a seemingly photo finish.
While Mr. Kumaraswamy defeated Mr. Yogeshwar, a five-time legislator, in 2018 with comparative ease, it may not be the case this time since the BJP candidate had been planning a meticulous comeback for the past year or so, BJP insiders say. The battle is also intense as the JD(S) believes that the BJP candidate played a crucial role in bringing its government down in 2019. This election is being seen as a vote for Mr. Kumaraswamy as the “future Chief Minister” against the sympathy factor for Mr. Yogeshwar.
In this Vokkaliga dominated constituency, where votes of Muslims, SCs, and OBCs decide the outcome, the Congress has fielded Gangadhara S. from the fishermen community. Women will play an important role with their numbers higher than men.
