The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has faced challenges in securing victory in the Mandya Lok Sabha seat, located in southern Karnataka. The party's attempt to win the seat in 2019 saw the emergence of an Independent candidate, Sumalatha Ambareesh, who was supported by the BJP and successfully defeated the candidate from Janata Dal Secular (JDS), Nikhil Kumaraswamy, son of former Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy. This close contest highlighted the BJP's struggle to establish a significant presence in the region, particularly among the Vokkaliga community which holds considerable political sway in Mandya.
Due to its historical poor performance in the region, the BJP has formed an alliance with the JD(S) for the upcoming 2024 Lok Sabha polls. As part of their agreement, the JD(S) will be contesting in Mandya, Hassan, and Kolar. Notably, out of these seats, Hassan is the only one that JD(S) won in the previous Lok Sabha elections. The Vokkaliga-dominated Mandya seat has seen prominent leaders like former Karnataka CM SM Krishna representing it, underscoring the significance of this constituency in Karnataka's political landscape.
In preparation for the 2024 elections, HD Kumaraswamy from the JD(S) is set to face Congress' Venkataramane Gowda, also known as Star Chandru, a civil contractor. Despite the Congress' success in winning six seats within the Mandya parliamentary constituency during the 2023 Assembly polls, Kumaraswamy is emphasizing his connection to Mandya, positioning himself as the 'son of Mandya' in his campaign. Following a less than favorable performance in the Assembly polls, Kumaraswamy's campaign strategy is critical for the JD(S) as they aim to maintain their influence in southern Karnataka, particularly in the Mandya region.