Unlike his father JDS supremo HD Deve Gowda, HD Kumaraswamy is a cricket fan. He is sweet at going through slog overs and with the all-important Karnataka meeting elections and IPL matches taking place on the similar time, “slog” appears to be the buzzword in the state.
Waiting for the 2 predominant gamers BJP and Congress to resolve all their candidates and fielding among the highly effective ones who’ve missed the bus on JDS ticket has been an outdated trick of the Gowdas. It is a tried, examined, generally failed and generally succeeded thought.
This time, the JDS has gone a number of steps forward by fielding over 20 BJP and Congress defectors throughout the state, triggering panic in each camps. HDK’s job was clearly a lot simpler this time as a result of there have been no Yorkers.
Of the 20-plus defectors, together with some sitting MLAs, most are well-known faces with their very own following and clout. HDK hopes that the JDS can win at the least 10 further seats if his gamble pays off. Since these are usually not his unique candidates, even when they lose, it gained’t have an effect on JDS a lot however can at the least improve the vote share of the social gathering.
The JDS has fielded ex-BJP MLA MP Kumaraswamy from Mudigere in Chickmagalur district. BJP had denied re-nomination to MP Kumaraswamy to attempt a brand new face near social gathering nationwide basic secretary CT Ravi, who’s in search of his fifth straight time period from neighbouring Chikmagalur. The JDS has fielded disgruntled BJP teenager and BSY’s estranged private assistant NR Santosh from Arsikere after their sitting MLA KM Shivalinge Gowda defected to Congress. In Kadur, former JDS MLA YSV Datta is again on a JDS ticket after Congress denied him an opportunity.
BJP MLC and senior Lingayat chief Ayanur Manjunath has give up the social gathering to contest on a JDS ticket from Shimoga metropolis. With him, former Congress MLA KB Prasanna Kumar has additionally joined JDS, vowing to defeat his former social gathering. In Kumta-Honnavar, JDS has netted Congress rebels Sooraj Nayak and Moideen Bawa in Mangalore North.
In politically risky Bellary City, veteran Congress chief Anil Lad has crossed over to the JDS after his social gathering selected Bharath Reddy over him.
For all its nationwide social gathering pretensions, JDS is a sub-regional social gathering with a powerful presence in simply six districts of outdated Mysore space in south Karnataka. Its Vokkaliga caste social gathering tag has prevented the JDS from increasing the bottom exterior the Gowda heartland. HDK has sensed an awesome alternative and scope to transcend conventional boundaries in this election and has fielded over a dozen BJP and Congress rebels in Karnataka’s remaining areas.
The JDS has fielded veteran Congress chief Dr AB Malakareddi from Yadagiri, different outstanding BJP and Congress defectors Suryakantha Nagamarapalli in Bidar, Guru Patil in Shahapur, Pradeep Malagi in Raibag and Anand Chopra in Saundatti Yellamma, Dr Devaraja Patil in Bagalkote, Doddappa Gowda in Jewargi, Somana Gouda in Basavana Bagewadi, Chandrashekhar in Koppal, Kalappa Gaddi in Navalgund, SL Ghotnekar in Haliyal, Chitra Kottur in Karwar, Manohar Tahasildar in Hanagal, Nemiraj Naik in Hagaribommanahalli, and Bhimappa in Kudligi in north Karnataka.
It has additionally fielded former Congress minister and BJP turncoat A Manju in Arakalgud in place of sitting MLA AT Ramaswamy who has crossed over to BJP; Rajagopala Reddy in Bengaluru South, and Dr Bharathi Shankar in Varuna in its stronghold of outdated Mysore area.
Since 2004, the JDS has gained 40 seats on a median. The highest was 58 seats in 2004 and the bottom was 28 in 2008. In 2013 and 2018, it gained 40 and 38 seats, respectively. It has a vote share of 15-18 per cent in the state.
If the Gowda clan’s bold plan of breaching the northern fortress of Congress and BJP via these defectors clicks, two nationwide events would be the greatest losers. They might then need to beg JDS for assist to type the following authorities.
Speaking to News18, HD Kumaraswamy mentioned: “We will win seats throughout Karnataka and type the following authorities.”
However, everybody — together with HDK — is aware of that profitable Karnataka on their very own remains to be a distant dream and at finest, the scenario can throw up a hung House.
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