G.T. Deve Gowda is a prominent Vokkaliga leader in Mysuru district and a loyal supporter of former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda and Janata Dal (Secular) State President H.D. Kumaraswamy. He is known as a grassroots politician who worked his way up the ladder and represented Hunsur and Chamundeshwari candidates as a nominee of the JD(S). He is confident that he will emerge as a “giant killer” in the polls, due to the prevailing anger against the Siddaramaiah government.
The Chamundeshwari constituency is the battle ground for Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and H.D. Kumaraswamy, where Mr. Gowda is the central pivot. He says that the people of the constituency are disappointed with the CM since he had neglected it for the past 10 years, and now, makes half-baked promises of development during the elections. He thinks that Chamundeshwari was the factor which propelled Mr. Siddaramaiah from being an ordinary MLA to becoming the CM. In spite of this, the CM has not done anything for the people of Chamundehswari.
He attributed his grassroots cooperative activism to keeping in touch with the interest of the masses, by touring the constituencies and cultivating the confidence of the voters. Mr. Siddaramaiah, he felt in contrast, was aloof and detached in his campaigns. Mr. Gowda opines that his personal appeal will transcend boundaries of caste in the polarised place that is Chamundeshwari.
The constituency has 2.9 lakh voters, a third of whom are urbane citizens. Though it is difficult to predict the victory in the segment, there is a shared opinion that its outcome will decide which party comes to power in the State.
PTI
