By P.T. Bopanna
Though I hardly interact with politicians from Kodagu (Coorg), especially from the BJP, I have been of late getting phone calls from supporters of ‘leaders’ who are in the race for the BJP ticket from Virajpet constituency.
It all started after I predicted Reena Prakash may bag the ticket in the wake of appointment of former Union minister Smrithi Irani as the national general secretary of the BJP. I had opined that since Reena had good rapport with Smrithi, she may be considered for the ticket.
No sooner my report was published, Chiriyapanda Suresh Nanjappa, president of the Bangalore Kodava Samaja, who is also a businessman, told the media that he too was interested in contesting from Virajpet.
On a lighter vein, the supporter of another businessman, rang me up and noted that his leader, deserved the ticket more than Suresh Nanjappa, as he had a good track record in doing social service in Kodagu.
The other aspirants for the BJP ticket, include Ravi Kushalappa (in picture), former Kodagu zilla panchayat president, and Machimada Ravindra. Since elections are far away, it is too early for Ravi Kushalappa to express his preference for the Madikeri or Virajpet seats.
And a couple of Kodava businessmen from within Kodagu, who are BJP office-bearers, are also in the race.
Since elections are due only in 2028, it is too early for speculation as the BJP candidates will be picked on the basis of the recommendation of the district core committee.
In view of the fact that Congress candidate A.S. Ponnanna defeated BJP’s K.G. Bopaiah, by a narrow margin of around 4,000 votes, there is a better chance for the saffron party in 2028, provided the party fields a good candidate.
In the last election, if BJP had selected a candidate other than Bopaiah, the party would have easily won the seat. The BJP cadre is strong in Kodagu and the only problem is with selection of right candidates.
There is almost a leadership vacuum in Kodagu because both Bopaiah and Appachu Ranjan who were MLAs for several terms, failed to groom a second line of leaders because they apparently wanted to be legislators for lifetime.