Direct fight between BJP, coalition candidate in Kodagu

There is a direct fight between JD(S)-Congress candidate C H Vijayashankar and BJP candidate Pratap Simha in Mysore-Kodagu Lok Sabha Constituency.

Many feel that the results will depend on the coalition power. However, the BJP leaders feel that BJP has a stronghold in Kodagu with two BJP MLAs and an MLC.

After the natural calamities caused devastation, the district has been facing a plethora of problems.

The local issues are likely to become a poll issue. However, the BJP is trying to attract voters through Modi and national issues.

As Kodagu is a land of warriors, the BJP is raising the issue of national security in the district in addition to the issue of communal riot following Tipu Jayanti celebrations in the year 2015.

Though Kodagu has Vokkaliga Gowda, Arebhashe Gowda, Lingayats, SC/ST and minority voters, coalition candidate Vijayashankar still believes in his traditional votes.

Vijayashankar has been knocking on the doors of the voters by stating that he is aware of the issues of elephant menace, problems faced by the coffee growers, pollution of River Cauvery and the row over Kasturirangan report. The simplicity of Vijayashankar is likely to be a plus point for the coalition partners.

The steep fall in the price of coffee and black pepper has affected the farming community in the district.

Further, thousands had lost their homes in the natural calamity that hit the district last August. Several people have lost their coffee estates in the landslides. Those who had suffered losses in the rain fury were expecting a huge package from the Centre.

Unfortunately, the Central government had released only Rs 546 crore as a compensation for the rain loss that occurred in Kodagu, Hassan, Chikkamagaluru, Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts. The compensation is distributed as per NDRF guidelines, which has enraged the victims in Kodagu.

Though the rebel factor had affected the JD(S) district unit in Kodagu district after the appointment of K M B Ganesh as JD(S) district president, Kodagu district in-charge leader from Congress H C Mahadevappa has been successful in convincing the leaders to work unitedly.

On the other hand, there is an allegation that incumbent MP Pratap Simha was not available for the district when he was required. Simha himself had clarified that he could not give priority to Kodagu as he was busy in organising the party in Mysuru.

The issue of drinking water woes, pathetic condition of rural roads and pollution in River Cauvery have not become poll issues.

The coalition government led by H D Kumaraswamy had announced Kushalnagar and Ponnampet as taluks in the district in February.

A few calculations claim that the announcement of new taluks will help the coalition candidate in the Lok Sabha election.