Karnataka byelection : JD(S) not keen on any of three seats
Deve Gowda’s party lacks base in Chikkodi and Bellary, may skip Shikaripur too
By : vinay madhav
Update: 2014-07-31 07:24 GMT
Bengaluru: The JD(S), which was game for any byelection, especially during the last BJP government in the state, now appears to be treading cautiously and may even give the coming bypolls a miss, according to party sources.
JDS supremo, H.D. Deve Gowda has reportedly decided to take a cue from Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, J Jayalalithaa, who does not bother to field candidates in bypolls when a DMK government is in power, but goes on to win assembly elections.
Mr Gowda is beginning his experiment with the August 21 Bellary rural, Shikaripur and Chikkodi byelections by not fielding candidates for them, say sources. For one, the party lacks a base in Chikkodi, and its presence in Bellary has been eroded after it backed former minister , B Sreeramulu in a previous bypoll. He also realises that in Shikaripur the fight can only be between the Congress and the BJP and doesn't see why it needs to waste manpower and money on the elections, according to party insiders.
But Bellary JD(S) workers are not willing to go with the party's decision and have demanded that it field a candidate in the bypoll. Sorab MLA, Madhu Bangarappa too is reportedly trying to persuade both Mr Deve Gowda and former CM, H D Kumaraswamy, to contest Shikaripur.