Mandya: Darshan Puttannaiah of Sarvodaya Karnataka Party (SKP) is the only farmer’s representative of the State entering the Vidhana Soudha this time. The SKP, founded in 2005, has seen 2 Legislators thus far. They are the father son-duo of K.S. Puttannaiah and Darshan. While Puttannaiah had won in 2013 and 1994 (from Pandavapura), his son has won10 years later in 2023.
In the past, KRRS President Prof. M.D. Nanjundaswamy had entered the Assembly from the then Dharwad Rural seat in early 1990’s . Prof.Nanjundaswamy had won the by-election held for the Constituency following the resignation of another farmer leader Babagouda Patil, who had won from 2 seats — Kittur and Dharwad. Patil also later became a Union Minister in Vajpayee-led NDA Government after he won the Belagavi Loksabha seat in late 1990s.
