With the Assembly poll fever hotting up in the State, the chief ministerial aspirants of Bharatiya Janata Party and Janata Dal (Secular) are planning to contest from north Karnataka, to galvanise the party rank and file in that region.
BJP State president B.S. Yeddyurappa and JD(S) State president H.D. Kumaraswamy have hinted at jumping into poll fray from the State’s northern part.
Mr. Yeddyurappa will not be contesting from Shikaripur in the 2018 Assembly polls. The former Chief Minister took this decision in the interest of the party after the central leadership suggested that he contest from north Karnataka, party sources said.
Sources also pointed out that Mr. Yeddyurappa took this decision to counter the Congress’ strategy to divide Lingayat votes by raising the issue of a separate religion tag.
Meanwhile, Mr. Yeddyurappa on Sunday said that party leaders from north Karnataka were mounting pressure on him to contest from their region keeping party’s poll prospects in mind. He, however, clarified that the central leadership would take a final call.
Meeting with leaders
Mr. Yeddyurappa held a meeting with party leaders of Bagalkot district, including P.C. Gaddigoudar, MP, and Govind Karjol and Murugesh Nirani, MLAs, and discussed about ticket aspirants in seven Assembly seats in the district.
It is learnt that Mr. Nirani is ready to give up Bilagi constituency, which he represented earlier, if Mr. Yeddyurappa decided to contest from that constituency.
In Janata Dal (Secular)
Mr. Kumaraswamy, who contested from Ramanagaram constituency in the 2013 Assembly elections, also plans to contest from a constituency in north Karnataka.
Sources in the party said that the JD(S) leader has set his eyes on the Devara Hipparagi constituency in Bagalkot district represented by A.S. Patil Nadahalli, a Congress rebel. Mr. Nadahalli has antagonised his party bosses by demanding a separate Statehood for north Karnataka.
Mr. Kumaraswamy has rented a house in Hubballi and is touring the northern parts to strengthen the party for the past one year. Sources said the JD(S) leader may also contest from the Ramanagaram constituency.
Party’s national president H.D. Deve Gowda also said that party workers and leaders have been appealing to Mr. Kumaraswamy to contest from north Karnataka.