Karnataka emerges saffron
Rajashekara SFirst Published : 17 May 2009 04:17:00 AM IST
BANGALORE: A thumping win in the Lok Sabha polls in Karnataka by the BJP has only reaffirmed the increasing acceptance the saffron party has received in the state besides putting an end to speculations over Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa’s “waning popularity”.
The Congress’ poor show is a continuation of its infighting and indecision, while the JD(S) has retained its fort in the Vokkaliga stronghold with three seats.
Despite the occasional whines against the CM’s style of functioning by a few men in the party, Yeddyurappa has proved everyone beyond any doubt that he “is the BJP’s mascot,’’ in Karnataka.
With several northern states falling short of expectations, the BJP’s sweeping victory by bagging 19 of the 28 Lok Sabha Constituencies has catapulted the CM into the league of Narendra Modis and the like, while his detractors within the party have been silenced.
His son, BY Raghavendra’s convincing victory against former CM and political heavyweight S Bangarappa is a shot in the arm for the CM, who despite a strong resistance fielded his son from Shimoga.
On the other hand, difficult victory for BJP’s J Shantha, sister of the powerful health and family welfare Minister B Sriramulu is a big setback to the Bellary Reddy brothers — Ministers G Karunakara Reddy, G Janardhan Reddy and MLA G Somashekhara Reddy. For HN Ananth Kumar too, the victory was no cakewalk.
This is likely to provide more teeth and muscle to Yeddyurappa within the party in the coming days both at the national and State level.
This apart, the party’s base in the Coastal and Malnad regions remained intact despite the hype over the pub and church attacks. Similarly, the Mumbai- Karnataka region remained a BJP’s strong bastion.
Infighting in the Congress has resulted in victory of just six candidates. The party failed to announce candidates on time and there was the usual back-biting where Congress leaders worked against their own candidates.
This apart, the party also failed to get caste the chemistry right.
Defeat of seasoned party leaders CK Jaffer Sharief, B Janrdhan Poojary, Margret Alva was also a blow to the party which was pinning its hopes on them.
For the JD(S) the results have proved beyond doubt that its roots are still strong in the Vokkaliga belt in Old Mysore region.
With just three seats, the JD(S)’s dreams of joining the UPA government and plans to topple the BSY government are waning after a tremendous performance of the UPA at the national level.
Lest there was an invitation by the Congress, the JD(S) may choose to continue in the Third Front.
Saturday, 16 May 2009
Saffron reigns supreme in Karnataka
Saffron reigns supreme in Karnataka
Press Trust of India / Bangalore May 16, 2009, 18:24 IST
Re-asserting the saffron supremacy in Karnataka, the ruling BJP today won 19 of the 28 seats, leaving only six to a weakened Congress and three to JDS, whose ambition to play a larger role at the Centre suffered a setback.
Riding piggy back on its government's performance, BJP added one more seat to its 2004 tally of 18, as it maintained its grip over the state after winning the assembly polls last year which heralded the saffron rule for the first time in the south.
Attempts by BJP's principal adversary Congress' to revive its flagging fortunes failed to yield any results as the party bagged two seats less than what it won the last time. JDS, part of the Third Front, which had nursed hopes of a larger role for itself in the next government formation, increased its tally by one but failed to make much headway in denting the BJP's support base despite its strong sway in the Vokkaliga belt.
Among the prominent winners are JDS chief Deve Gowda from his home turf Hassan and his son Kumaraswamy (Bangalore Rural), M Veerappa Moily(Chikballapur), BJP General Secretary H N Ananthkumar (Bangalore South) and party's state unit Sadananda Gowda (Udupi-Chikmagalur).
Senior Congressman and political heavyweight S Bangarappa, known for party-hopping, was humbled by B Y Raghavendra, son of Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa, in Shimoga by an impressive margin of 52,893 votes.
Press Trust of India / Bangalore May 16, 2009, 18:24 IST
Re-asserting the saffron supremacy in Karnataka, the ruling BJP today won 19 of the 28 seats, leaving only six to a weakened Congress and three to JDS, whose ambition to play a larger role at the Centre suffered a setback.
Riding piggy back on its government's performance, BJP added one more seat to its 2004 tally of 18, as it maintained its grip over the state after winning the assembly polls last year which heralded the saffron rule for the first time in the south.
Attempts by BJP's principal adversary Congress' to revive its flagging fortunes failed to yield any results as the party bagged two seats less than what it won the last time. JDS, part of the Third Front, which had nursed hopes of a larger role for itself in the next government formation, increased its tally by one but failed to make much headway in denting the BJP's support base despite its strong sway in the Vokkaliga belt.
Among the prominent winners are JDS chief Deve Gowda from his home turf Hassan and his son Kumaraswamy (Bangalore Rural), M Veerappa Moily(Chikballapur), BJP General Secretary H N Ananthkumar (Bangalore South) and party's state unit Sadananda Gowda (Udupi-Chikmagalur).
Senior Congressman and political heavyweight S Bangarappa, known for party-hopping, was humbled by B Y Raghavendra, son of Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa, in Shimoga by an impressive margin of 52,893 votes.
Karnataka paradox: Lotus resists UPA storm
Karnataka paradox: Lotus resists UPA storm
17 May 2009, 0136 hrs IST, ET Bureau
Print EMail Discuss Share Save Comment Text:
BANGALORE: Karnataka defied the national mood yet again to give the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) an overwhelming victory as the state ended up on
the wrong side of the grouping for the third time in a row. The BJP added one seat to its tally of 18 in 2004, cementing its hold in its southern stronghold and enhancing the prestige of chief minister B S Yeddyurappa in the party.
“We have won despite a tacit understanding between the Janata Dal (Secular) and the Congress. The BJP now has a greater responsibility to serve Bangalore,” he said, getting into election mode yet again as India’s technology capital readies to choose representatives to the city corporation in a few weeks.
Mr Yeddyurappa said the performance of the party in Karnataka was below expectations — it saw itself winning at least 22 seats — but “satisfactory.” The Congress tally fell by two to just six seats while the JD (S) won three seats, one more than in 2004. In 1999, when the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance was elected to power at the Centre, Karnataka gave 18 seats to the Congress. In 2004, when the UPA formed a government in Delhi, the state sent 18 BJP representatives to parliament.
The three major power centres in the BJP — Mr Yeddyurappa, former Union minister H N Ananth Kumar and the Reddy brothers of Bellary — proved that their clout remained undiminished. Mr Yeddyurappa’s 36-year-old son B Y Raghavendra trounced former chief minister S Bangarappa in Shimoga and Mr Ananth Kumar fended off a stiff challenge from the Congress’ Krishna Byre Gowda in Bangalore South.
In Bellary, health minister B Sriramulu, a close associate of the Reddy mining barons, got his sister J Shantha elected by a slim margin against former Orissa high court chief justice N Y Hanumanthappa.
Like the rest of his party, Mr Ananth Kumar said he was disappointed that the BJP fared poorly nationwide but satisfied about the strong showing in Karnataka. And like the chief minister he immediately focussed his attention on the upcoming elections to the Bangalore city corporation. “We have won three seats in Bangalore, which is good augury for the corporation poll,” he said. Former union minister C K Jaffer Sharief was defeated by D B Chandre Gowda in Bangalore North while H T Sangliana lost to P C Mohan in Bangalore Central.
“The BJP has not been long enough in power in Karnataka for incumbency to have affected it significantly. The victory is also a reflection of the unity that the party has been able to display,” said political analyst Sandeep Shastri.
Former chief minister H D Kumaraswamy of the JD(S), who won easily in Bangalore Rural, claimed his party would have secured at least six seats but for what he called a “secret” understanding between the Congress and the BJP. The JD(S), he said, would be part of the meeting of the Third Front on Monday and decide its strategy after that.
Mr Kumaraswamy met Congress president Sonia Gandhi earlier this week and there were suggestions that the JD(S) would extend support to the United Progressive Alliance (UPA). But with the UPA performing strongly on its own, the alliance can do without the backing of the JD(S).
17 May 2009, 0136 hrs IST, ET Bureau
Print EMail Discuss Share Save Comment Text:
BANGALORE: Karnataka defied the national mood yet again to give the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) an overwhelming victory as the state ended up on
the wrong side of the grouping for the third time in a row. The BJP added one seat to its tally of 18 in 2004, cementing its hold in its southern stronghold and enhancing the prestige of chief minister B S Yeddyurappa in the party.
“We have won despite a tacit understanding between the Janata Dal (Secular) and the Congress. The BJP now has a greater responsibility to serve Bangalore,” he said, getting into election mode yet again as India’s technology capital readies to choose representatives to the city corporation in a few weeks.
Mr Yeddyurappa said the performance of the party in Karnataka was below expectations — it saw itself winning at least 22 seats — but “satisfactory.” The Congress tally fell by two to just six seats while the JD (S) won three seats, one more than in 2004. In 1999, when the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance was elected to power at the Centre, Karnataka gave 18 seats to the Congress. In 2004, when the UPA formed a government in Delhi, the state sent 18 BJP representatives to parliament.
The three major power centres in the BJP — Mr Yeddyurappa, former Union minister H N Ananth Kumar and the Reddy brothers of Bellary — proved that their clout remained undiminished. Mr Yeddyurappa’s 36-year-old son B Y Raghavendra trounced former chief minister S Bangarappa in Shimoga and Mr Ananth Kumar fended off a stiff challenge from the Congress’ Krishna Byre Gowda in Bangalore South.
In Bellary, health minister B Sriramulu, a close associate of the Reddy mining barons, got his sister J Shantha elected by a slim margin against former Orissa high court chief justice N Y Hanumanthappa.
Like the rest of his party, Mr Ananth Kumar said he was disappointed that the BJP fared poorly nationwide but satisfied about the strong showing in Karnataka. And like the chief minister he immediately focussed his attention on the upcoming elections to the Bangalore city corporation. “We have won three seats in Bangalore, which is good augury for the corporation poll,” he said. Former union minister C K Jaffer Sharief was defeated by D B Chandre Gowda in Bangalore North while H T Sangliana lost to P C Mohan in Bangalore Central.
“The BJP has not been long enough in power in Karnataka for incumbency to have affected it significantly. The victory is also a reflection of the unity that the party has been able to display,” said political analyst Sandeep Shastri.
Former chief minister H D Kumaraswamy of the JD(S), who won easily in Bangalore Rural, claimed his party would have secured at least six seats but for what he called a “secret” understanding between the Congress and the BJP. The JD(S), he said, would be part of the meeting of the Third Front on Monday and decide its strategy after that.
Mr Kumaraswamy met Congress president Sonia Gandhi earlier this week and there were suggestions that the JD(S) would extend support to the United Progressive Alliance (UPA). But with the UPA performing strongly on its own, the alliance can do without the backing of the JD(S).
Big win for BJP in Karnataka
Big win for BJP in Karnataka
S. RajendranParty has improved upon its tally in Karnataka; poor show by Congress
BANGALORE: The Bharatiya Janata Party has made a clean sweep in Karnataka winning 19 of the 28 Lok Sabha seats — one more than the 18 it won in the 2004 general elections.
The BJP, which won four seats in the 1991 Lok Sabha elections, has grown steadily since, recording its best ever performance in these elections. In fact, it has contributed as many seats as Madhya Pradesh to the party’s national tally. The political campaign run by the Opposition parties against the policies and performance of the BJP Government does not appear to have impacted negatively on the electoral outcome for the party, which by any yardstick has put up a creditable performance.
In contrast, the performance of the Congress, despite the victories recorded by two former Chief Ministers — M. Veerappa Moily (Chickballapur) and N. Dharam Singh ( Bidar), and the Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Assembly, M. Mallikarjun Kharge (Gulbarga) — has plummeted with the party winning only six seats. The Janata Dal (Secular) has won three seats, performing a shade better than in the last elections.
“Despite a tacit understanding between the Congress and the JD (S) our party has been victorious, and although we expected to win 20 seats we have won 19. I am happy. The people have given a befitting reply to the Congress and the Janata Dal (S) which had levelled false charges against the BJP,” he said.
The former Prime Minister and JD(S) president H.D. Deve Gowda has been re-elected from Hassan with a record margin of 2.91 lakh votes while his son H.D. Kumaraswamy won the Bangalore Rural seat by a big margin of 1.30 lakh votes defeating Tejaswini Gowda of the Congress. Yet another big victory for the JD(S) was in Mandya where the former Transport Minister N. Cheluvarayaswamy defeated the Union Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting and noted film actor M.H. Ambareesh.
For the BJP, B.Y. Raghavendra son of the Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa, defeated the former Chief Minister S. Bangarappa in Shimoga by a margin of 52,893 votes.
The BJP swept all the three seats in the State capital — Bangalore North (D.B.Chandre Gowda), Bangalore Central (P.C. Mohan) and Bangalore South (Ananth Kumar), and the three seats in the coastal belt — Dakshin Kannada (Nalin Kateel), Udupi-Chikmagalur (D.V.Sadananda Gowda ) and Uttara Kannada (Anant Hegde).
Notable among the top political leaders who lost the elections are C.K. Jaffer Sharief (Bangalore North), the former KPCC President Janardhan Poojary (Dakshin Kannada) and the former AICC General Secretary Margaret Alva (Uttara Kannada). The BJP failed in retaining the prestigious Mysore seat with its candidate C.H. Vijayashankar losing to H. Vishwanath of the Congress.
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