Till recently, the Congress party was confident of wresting the prestigious Mysuru-Kodagu seat by fielding a candidate against the sitting MP Pratap Simha. The names of former MLA of Varuna, Dr Yatindra Siddaramaiah, son of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, KPCC Spokesperson M.Lakshman,  Mysuru City and District Congress President Vijaykumar and former MLC A.H.Vishwanarh were making the rounds.

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The Congress thought that Simha would be an easy target because of his dwindling support within the BJP that had alienated the rank and file.  While Dr Yatindra backed out, the party didn't want to consider Vishwanath because of his age and Lakshman was seen as lacking experience in national politics. Vijaykumar did not measure up either.

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After Yaduveer's name was announced, the state Congress leaders went into a huddle. Dr Yatindra had been asked to reconsider his decision and contest against Yaduveer but Chief Minister Siddaramaiah knows its a no contest and is not for it.

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Mysoreans recall the time when Srikantadatta Narasimha Raja Wadiyar contested on the Congress ticket from Mysore. People prostrated before Srikantadatta and spread sarees on the road so that the king would not have to walk on the road. Instead of the erstwhile king begging for votes, emotional and teary - eyed Mysoreans stood before Srikantadatta with folded hands and offered him their votes.

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The women did arathi and touched his feet. This kind of emotive bond between the Raja and the Praja was unexpected in independent India. It was only when Srikantadatta stood as the BJP candidate against the Congress candidate, Smt Chandraprabha Urs, a daughter of the former CM D.Devaraja Urs that he lost!

The ruling party's only hope is finding a strong Ursu community candidate who can be another king-slayer.

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Meeting tomorrow?

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As CM Siddaramaiah lands in Mysuru tomorrow for two days in connection with the guarantee schemes convention in Mysore on March 15, he is expected to hold a meeting with local leaders to pick a strong candidate against Yaduveer. The Congress candidate should be announced in the next two to three days.