R Ashoka appointed as Mandya district in-charge Minister ahead of Assembly polls

Mandya: With the ruling BJP focused on winning more seats in the ‘Old Mysuru’ region, Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Tuesday appointed Revenue Minister R Ashoka as the Mandya district in-charge Minister.

The Vokkaliga-dominated Mandya district is a major constituent of the Old Mysuru region, and Ashoka is considered to be a prominent BJP leader hailing from the community.

Ashoka will replace Excise Minister K Gopalaiah, who was in-charge of the district along with Hassan.

Stating that Gopalaiah was appointed as district in-charge Minister for Mandya on January 24, 2022, an official notification said, Minister R Ashoka has been appointed replacing him, with immediate effect.

It said, the notification has been issued on the directions of the Chief Minister.

The BJP is considered to be weak in the Old Mysuru region, especially in Mandya district, and is focusing on this belt to gain complete majority in the Assembly polls scheduled in May.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah during his recent visit to Mandya had asked BJP leaders and workers to work towards winning more seats in the region and the district, which is the bastion of JD(S), where Congress too is considerably strong.

Out of seven Assembly constituencies in Mandya district, presently six are represented by the JD(S), and BJP one.

Narayanagowda, who had won 2018 Assembly polls on Congress’ ticket from Krishnarajpet (K R Pet), later defected to the BJP and won the 2019 bypolls on its ticket from the same segment, giving the first-ever win for the saffron party in the district. He is now a Minister in Bommai-led government.