It is a dream come true for Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa, a native of Bukanakere in KR Pet taluk, Mandya district.
Even though Yediyurappa is a mass leader, sworn in as CM four times, he was unhappy as the BJP, which he nurtured from a two-member party to the ruling party, did not have a base in his home district. The BJP was not in a position to contest even for the third slot in many constituencies in the district. In KR Pet itself, in the 2018 poll, the BJP had to be content with the fifth slot, with just 9,819 votes. Yediyurappa had expressed his wish several times, with his confidants, that he wants to see a BJP candidate win here.
The BJP opened its account in Mandya district and created history, with the victory of Narayana Gowda in the bypoll. Mandya is usually projected as a Vokkaliga bastion and a stronghold of JD(S), with Congress as the traditional rival.
Yediyurappa, who went in search of a career to Shikaripura, grew into a strong leader of Shikaripura taluk and Shivamogga district. Later, as opposition leader, he commanded clout across the state. However, in parts of the old Mysuru region, he is still seen as just a Lingayat leader.
When Yediyurappa was CM for the second time, he gave a number of projects to his native Bukanakere village and KR Pet taluk, besides other parts of Mandya district.
Yediyurappa took this bypoll as a challenge and deployed his son B Y Vijayendra, nephew S C Ashok and other family members to ensure a victory.
Law Minister J C Madhuswamy was replaced by Deputy CM C N Ashwath Narayan as incharge of the bypoll in KR Pet. It was also a
strategic move, as Ashwath Narayan is a Vokkaliga leader, while Madhuswamy is a Lingayat.
The poll campaign was carefully planned under the guidance of Vijayendra, Ashwath Narayan, MLA Preetham J Gowda and executed by BJP incharge T S Srivatsa. The BJP leaders were aware of the fact that the party did not have grassroots-level leaders in KR Pet segment, even though many leaders of both JD(S) and Congress, including Narayana Gowda, crossed over.
A joint committee of local BJP workers and supporters of Narayana Gowda was formed to woo the voters at the booth level. Besides, the BJP took voters of microscopic communities into confidence, as a majority of the dominant Vokkaliga voters were expected to vote for the JD(S). Even sections of Vokkaliga voters were convinced to vote for the BJP, playing the native card and citing the funds given to the taluk for development works by Yediyurappa.