Sringeri: The party that wins here forms government or has 2013 reversed that trend

The Sringeri assembly constituency has always been a fascinating one. The party that won this seat ruled the state. Political parties have been very superstitious about this constituency and have always fielded their best.

After all which ever party won this constituency went on to rule the state and this had been the trend since 1952. The trend however changed in 2013 and for the first time in nearly 50 decades the party that won this seat did not go on to form the government in Karnataka.

Will this trend remain or would it back to the days of superstition as has been witnessed since 1952.

In 1952 this constituency was part of the Thirthahalli-Koppa constituency. Kadidal Manjappa of the Congress won the election that year and went on to serve as the Chief Minister of Karnataka for a brief period.

Manjappa was also the first MLA after the Sringeri constituency came into existence in 1957. He won the election and the Congress went on to form the government under B D Jatti and S R Kanthi.

The election campaign in Sringeri would always begin at the Sharadamba temple. The candidates believe that if they have the blessings of the deity, it would not just help them win the election, but also ensure that the party forms the government in the state.

In 2013 there was a role reversal. D N Jeevraj of the BJP beat T D Raje Gowda of the Congress by a margin of 3,452 votes. However it was the Congress that went on to form the government in the state in 2013.

What does this year hold in store for this constituency. Will history repeat and superstition rule or did 2013 manage to set a new trend that would continue? We will have to wait a few more months for that before the Karnataka Assembly Elections 2018 takes place.

The trend between 1952 to 2013:

• 1952: Kadidal Manjappa wins, Congress forms government. Becomes CM for brief period.
• 1957: K Manjappa wins again. Congress forms government under B D Jatti and then S R Kanthi.
• 1962: Manjappa wins again and Congress forms government under S Nijalingappa.
• 1967: Veerappa Gowda of the Congress wins. Party forms government under Veerendra Patil
• 1972: Veerappa Gowda wins again and Devraj Urs forms the government.
• 1978: B Ramaiah of the Congress wins and party forms the government under Devaraja Urs and later Gundu Rao.
• 1983: Govinde Gowda of the Janata Party wins and Ramakrishna Hegde forms the government.
• 1985: Govinde Gowda wins the mid term elections and Hegde and S R Bommai form the government under the Janata party.
• 1989: K Shyamanna of the Congress wins and Veerendra Patil forms government.
• 1994: Govinde Gowda of Janata Party (now JD(S) wins, Deve Gowda forms the government
• 1999: D B Chandre Gowda of the Congress wins and S M Krishna forms the government.
• 2004: D Jeevraj of the BJP wins. BJP does not form government. 20 months later BJP forms government with JD(S).
• 2008: Jeevraj wins again the BJP forms the government under B S Yeddyurappa.
• 2013: Jeevraj wins, but the Congress forms the government.

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