Triangular battle in Chamundeswari

With 14 candidates left in the fray after the final day for withdrawing papers on Monday, the fight for the Chamundeswari Assembly seat in Karnataka on December 4 is showing signs of being a triangular fight.

The main contenders will be former deputy chief minister Siddaramaiah, who is now in the Congress , Janata Dal(S) candidate Shivabasappa, a novice, and A S Guruswamy, who has to his credit the honour of humbling Siddaramaiah once. Guruswamy is contesting as a Janata Dal (U) candidate.

A staunch follower of MP M Rajasekhara Murthy, 72-year-old Shivabasappa hails from the same constituency. Siddaramaiah, a four-time winner, is seeking to return to the Lower house after resigning the seat. Stonewalling the top JD(S) leaders' pressure to withdraw, Guruswamy has chosen to remain in the fray to spoil the sleep of the ruling party.

Rajasekhara Murthy and his man Shivabasappa belong to the same community as Guruswamy. All are Lingayats. Apprehensive of Guruswamy spoiling their chances, the J(S) leaders did their best to prevail on Guruswamy to withdraw, but failed. One, therefore, need not be surprised if his one-time enemy is in the fray, to turn it in his favour.

Former CM S Bangarappa's Samajawadi Party has fielded Karunakar, a former taluk panchayat member, while the Pramod Muthalik-led Rashtriya Hindu Sena, M K Premkumar. Rest of the nine are Independents. The 3.6 lakh-voter constituency with a semi-rural mix has 1.5 lakh voters from Mysore city.

Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Siddaramaiah rejected JD(S) contention that after the chief minister's visit and with the announcement of development works in the constituency, a sea-change has occurred.

Though under normal circumstances he would have admitted that a by-election's outcome is not a reflection of government's performance, the former DyCM said in this case, Kumaraswamy had taken it up as a prestige issue.

"The JD(S)-BJP alliance has fielded a common candidate. The chief minister, the deputy chief minister and the former prime minister have announced camping in the constituency for 14 days, which no chief minister had done earlier in any constituency. Besides, he has even said that it was he who is in the fray. Hence, the result is bound to reflect on the government."

Guruswamy rejected rumours that he would retire. "The JD(S) leaders have given utmost importance to this byelection. In a way, we should be grateful to Siddaramaiah for this," he said, adding that the outcome would have repercussions on the government.