BJP STILL STRONG IN KODAGU (COORG): FACEBOOK POST RATTLES POLITICAL LEADERSHIP IN KODAGU
By P.T. Bopanna
My Facebook post on Reena Prakash bagging the BJP ticket from Virajpet constituency in Kodagu has gone viral and garnered nearly 30,000 viewership.
I had written in my report that because of Reena’s closeness to top BJP leader Smrithi Irani, who has been appointed national general secretary of the party, she may lobby for party ticket to Reena.
I have shared the screenshot of the image (in picture) which shows at the bottom of the image, on the number of people who have viewed the post, etc.
My normal post featuring Virajpet Congress MLA and political secretary to chief minister, A.S. Ponnanna, will have between 1,000 to 2,000 views. I get the statistics from the dashboard provided to me by Facebook which has designated me as a digital creator.
The fact that Reena’s post received such huge viewers shows that the BJP which was routed in Kodagu in last assembly elections, is still a force to reckon with in the district.
I understand from my sources that the BJP leadership in Kodagu is keeping a low profile because they are being threatened by the local Congress leaders that if they engage in protests, anti-goonda cases will be filed against them.
This is similar to Modi-Shah duo unleashing investigation agencies against their opponents at the national level.
Another important fall-out of my post on Reena is very interesting. In my report I had stated that though there are a few businessmen waiting in the wings to contest from Virajpet seat on a BJP ticket, they are unlikely to be given tickets because mostly those who have organisational base in the party will be considered.
No sooner my report was published, Chiriyapanda Suresh Nanjappa, president of the Bangalore Kodava Samaja, told the media that he too was interested in contesting from Virajpet.
In the past, I had hinted in one of my reports that Suresh Nanjappa had political ambitions since he was using the platform of Kodava Samaja to woo top BJP leaders.
Interestingly, a retired major general of the Indian Army had written a comment on my report that there was nothing wrong in Nanjappa having political ambitions. I respect this officer and I am convinced that the comment was not prompted by any prodding from Nanjappa.
Nanjappa’s point for being considered a candidate from Virajpet is interesting. He told media that he is the right candidate to take on Ponnanna, both in terms of money power and stature.
I wish Nanjappa all the best in his political avatar. I believe there should be competition. More the merrier! Finally Kodagu is not stuck with fossilised characters, K.G. Bopaiah and Appachu Ranjan.