On April 28, the Veerashaiva-Lingayats in Karnataka’s Hulikere village organised a big election rally announcing their support to Darshan Puttannaiah, the Swaraj India candidate from Melukote Assembly constituency in Mandya district. The state goes to polls on May 12. Swaraj India is the political wing of Swaraj Abhiyan, which was founded by Yogendra Yadav, Prashant Bhushan and Anand Kumar after they parted ways with Aam Aadmi Party in 2015.
Almost all those who addressed the crowd that numbered around 2,000 raised the community’s demand for religious minority status. On March 23, the Siddaramaiah-led Congress state government had recommended to the Centre that the Lingayat community – specifically those who follow the teachings of 12th-century philosopher, poet and social reformer Basavanna – be accorded minority status. The Veerashaiva community had opposed the decision, saying that minority status should be granted to the entire Veerashaiva-Lingayat community and not just followers of Basavanna.
The contest in Melukote has grabbed a lot of attention because of the Congress’ decision not to field a candidate against Puttannaiah. At the rally in Hulikere, the crowd expected Puttannaiah to support their demand for minority status. However, he surprised them all when he chose not to touch on the contentious subject. Instead, he spoke of his plans to fight for farmers and continue in the footprints of his father, the late farmer-politician KS Puttannaiah.
He also said the Congress’ apparent support for his candidature did not mean he was now obligated to support the party in the event of a hung Assembly.
Software professional turned politician
Darshan Puttannaiah, 40, is the oldest son of KS Puttannaiah – a leader of the Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha, the non-political farmers’ outfit behind several agitations in the 1990s and early 2000s. KS Puttannaiah also led the Sangha’s political wing, the Sarvodaya Karnataka Paksha, and was elected from Melukote in 2013 as its candidate. In 2017, the Sarvodaya Karnataka Paksha merged with Swaraj India, which is led by former Aam Aadmi Party leader Yogendra Yadav.
A software professional, Darshan Puttannaiah is chief executive officer of Qwinix Technologies, a software firm headquartered in Denver in the United States with an off-site office in Mysuru, which has around 70 employees. His father’s death in February brought him back to India. “My plan was to enter politics after two years but I changed it following my father’s death,” he said.
He added, “My father worked for farmers’ welfare till his death. I will continue his good work. I will represent all farmers, irrespective of religion and caste, if I am elected from Melukote.”
The Congress decision to not field a candidate in Melukote means the constituency will witness a three-way contest between Darshan Puttannaiah, CS Puttaraju of the Janata Dal (Secular) and H Manjunath of the Bharatiya Janata Party. Puttaraju, who is the sitting MP from Mandya Lok Sabha seat, had lost to KS Puttannaiah in Melukote in 2013.
Darshan Puttannaiah said he had entered the fray with the specific aim of serving farmers in Mandya, the agricultural hub of Karnataka. “Political parties always ignored the very existence of farmers and their problems,” he said. “It is time to change their plight.”
He promised immediate steps to ensure farmers received minimum support price – which is supposed to cover their cost of production – for their produce. “Remunerative prices should be 50% more than the weighted average cost of production as recommended by the Swaminathan Commission,” he said.
Touching on debt, another major concern for the farming community, he said, “They should also get one-time unconditional waiver of all agricultural loans.
On the campaign trail
Darshan Puttannaiah’s campaign combines both conventional and unconventional strategies. “We organise traditional door-to-door campaigns,” he said. “But our volunteers also visit houses, sit down with the family members and explain why they should vote for me. It is a two-way communication and the interaction makes voters happy.”
He now plans to publish a manifesto. “It will contain people’s suggestions,” he said.
Puttannaiah seems to have impressed farmers in the constituency. “He talks with clarity,” said 55-year-old Devraj, who grows sugarcane and paddy. “He knows our problems. He also has leadership skills.”
Sakamma Dasetti agreed. “His team visited our house and talked to all of us,” she said. “They inquired about our problems. I am sure he will bring change in Melukote.”
Puttannaiah’s home in Kyathanahalli village has become his campaign headquarters. It is here that he has been holding brainstorming sessions with Swaraj India volunteers every day for the last month. He has visited all 246 villages in the constituency and addressed multiple election rallies.
His sister Smitha Puttannaiah, also a software professional working in the United States, takes care of the planning and financial aspects of the campaign.
‘No obligation to support Congress’
According to Smitha Puttannaiah, the Congress did not field a candidate in Melukote because of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s good relations with her late father.
Darshan Puttannaiah said the chief minister had spoken to him over the phone about the Congress’ decision. However, he declared that this did not mean the ruling party had his loyalty. “I do not have any obligation to support the Congress if I win and the election throws up a hung Assembly,” he said.
His position notwithstanding, Congress workers are actively seeking votes for Darshan Puttannaiah in Melukote.
Puttaraju confident
In the three-way contest, Darshan Puttanaiah’s main fight is “against the money power of the Janata Dal (Secular) here”, said his sister.
The Janata Dal (Secular) is not too worried though. Predicting a comfortable win for himself, the party’s candidate CS Puttaraju said, “Farmers will not elect a person who does not know anything about agriculture.” He added, “Darshan Puttannaiah is a political novice. Addressing people’s issues is not as easy as running a software company.”
All photographs by TA Ameerudheen.
