TV5, a channel in Kannada has been running an opinion collection drive among common citizens in Karnataka. Basic question that is being asked is “Whom do you want to vote in this election”? and “Why”?.
Most of the respondents have been indicating that they would vote for Mr Modi. Some students in Mangaluru when asked why not Rahul Gandhi? made a sarcastic remark “Will anybody give a diamond to a monkey?” (Mangana kaiyalli Maanikya kodtaara?).
However, when the channel contacted people in Mandya, many seem to indicate that they will vote for Kumaraswamy.
This indicates that while the city bread voters may have a proper perception that this election is for the Parliament and will determine the next Prime Minister of India, the Mandya election appears to be centered around the local issues and personalities.
The two candidates in the fray are Nikhil Kumaraswamy and Sumalatha Ambarish. Nikhil is the son of Kumaraswamy, the CM of Karnataka and is fighting on the JDS ticket. Sumalatha Ambarish is contesting as an independent supported by BJP. Officially Congress is supporting Nikhil Kumaraswamy.
When some of the voters indicate that they are voting for CM Kumaraswamy, it is clear that they donot know the importance of this election. They donot know that a vote for Nikhil of JDS is a vote to make Rahul the PM and a vote against Modi being the PM.
I want BJP to make it known to every voter in Mandya that the issue is not whether the son of CM Kumaraswamy should be supported or not but whether Rahul Gandhi has to be supported or not.
If BJP does not do this, then they will be failing in their duty.
I wish BJP to ask the followiing survey question to 100% of the voters of Mandya,
Are you aware you are voting for who has to be PM of India?
Are you aware that a Vote for JDS is a vote for Rahul Gandhi to be the PM of India?
Vijayashankar
