Gear up for January poll: H D Deve Gowda

Bengaluru: Janata Dal(S) supremo, H D Deve Gowda claimed on Wednesday that Karnataka could to go to the polls by January and advised party workers to be prepared for this eventuality.

Speaking at a function to mark Lokanayaka Jayaprakash Narayan's birth anniversary in his party office, Mr Gowda reasoned that with the SSLC exams due in March-April, the Election Commission  could advance the election by a month or two. 

With more than one candidate vying to  contest from several constituencies, he urged his party workers to stop chasing senior leaders for tickets. "Instead everyone should work in their constituencies to strengthen the party organisation. Wherever there are more than one aspirant, workers need to sit together and arrive at a consensus. I will give you one month  to  prove your worth and no ticket will be given to leaders merely sitting in their offices and expecting one,'' he warned. Taking a dig at JD(S) rebels, Mr Gowda said those  challenging JD(S) chief, H D Kumaraswamy to win again from Ramanagar would eat humble pie as the people were  with the party.

While observing that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was arriving in Bengaluru on November 2 to launch the BJP's Nava Bharath programme and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had started his "Kaam Ki Baath" on All India Radio, he asserted that the JD(S) was prepared to take on both  parties. "These  parties fight elections with money power, but the JD(S) has people power," he declared.

Meanwhile, the JD(S), which is bent on defeating Nagamangala MLA , N Cheluvarayaswamy, who led its rebel camp, is likely to field former MLA  L.R. Shivarame Gowda in the election to the Council from Bengaluru Urban, Rural and Ramanagar graduates' constituency.