By P.T. Bopanna
This piece is written half in jest. Being a journalist, I have covered most of the elections, including the mother of all, the 1999 Bellary election which was won by Congress leader Sonia Gandhi. Though I have stopped covering elections now, I am in a position to predict the outcome of the 2024 Lok Sabha election.
I am known for hitting the bullseye in making my predictions. Now I have this habit of looking at the elections from the prism of my Kodagu (Coorg) district in Karnataka.
Last time around, I had correctly predicted Siddaramaiah will become the chief minister after eggs were thrown at him in Coorg. His fortunes turned after the ‘Coorg egg’ incident.
This time also I am making the prediction from the Coorg angle. The outcome of the Kodagu-Mysuru constituency will decide the future of Siddarmaiah as it is his home constituency.
Even before the campaign for the polls has started, my prediction says that BJP candidate (I am too lazy to write his full name) Yaduveer will win the election. The reason is very simple. The people of the constituency are fed up voting for scoundrels known for their toxic language. Mysuru, the cultural capital of Karnataka, has finally got a candidate who comes across as too decent. Women outnumber men in the constituency and they would certainly want Yaduveer, scion of the Mysuru royal family to be their Rajkumar this time.
This is bad news for Siddaramaiah, who is my favourite chief minister because he is pro poor and secular. Before he steps down, I want him to pass an order to ban conversion of agriculture lands in Kodagu, which is the main reason for water problem besetting Bengaluru as Kodagu’s rain-inducing forests have disappeared.
Now I don’t want DCM DK to dance in glee because he can occupy the chief minister’s chair. The Modi-Shah duo of the BJP have fielded Dr Manjunath against DK’s brother Suresh from Bangalore rural constituency. Though it is almost impossible to unseat Suresh, Dr Manjunath, well-known cardiac surgeon, could ‘steal’ the hearts of the women in the constituency through his smooth talk. I also happen to be his fan.
Prime Minister Modi has decided to win the elections at any cost. Onboarding the ‘Corrupt King of Bellary Republic’, Janardhana Reddy, shows in what direction the election is moving. Each seat counts for Modi-Shah duo.
The duo are so desperate they have frozen Congress party funds and arrested opposition chief ministers to win at any cost.
Unlike what the mainstream media says, the Indian economy is in a shambles and the unemployment problem is really worrisome. If only the unemployed youth vote against the BJP, the Modi regime will see its exit. This the poor people won’t do because Modi gives them free ration which they fear would stop if Modi is packed home.
Leave alone the Indian opposition leaders, even the friendly American government is asking Modi to follow ‘Raj Dharam’ and follow due process of law against the arrested Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal.
It is time Modi remembers Atal’s sane words of Raj Dharam.