Pandyanda Belliappa

Belliappa entered politics in 1921 as a member of the Coorg Planters' Association.^[1] He later joined the Congress Party and became one of its members.^[2] A staunch Gandhian, satyagrahi and freedom fighter he courted arrest during the freedom struggle. His wife Pandyanda Seethamma Belliappa was also a freedom fighter who courted arrest.^[3] He was also the editor of a periodical called the 'Kodagu'.^[4] At his invitation, Mahatma Gandhi, his secretary Thakkar, the President of the Dalit Sangha, a German journalist, Miss Jamnalal Bajaj and others came to Gonikoppal in Coorg. Punit.^[5][6]

In 1952, he separated from the Congress along with others and fought the Coorg state elections as independents while floating a new party called the Takkadi ('justice scales') party. The issue they fought against was the proposed merger of Coorg with Mysore. They lost the elections to the Congress, led by C M Poonacha, but won nine of the Assembly seats. The Thakkadi Party was a dominant political force and voice in Coorg with its anti-merger plank.^{[7][8][9][10]}