Congress's Jadhav may join BJP to take on Mallikarjun Kharge

Kalaburagi: The saffron party, which has been striving hard to find a “strong” candidate to take on senior Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge in the Kalaburagi Lok Sabha reserved constituency, has zeroed in on one.  

Second-term Congress legislator from Chincholi Dr Umesh Jadhav will in all probability take on Mr Kharge, who is contesting for his third term after having won the seat in 2009 and 2014. In both elections, Mr Kharge won against BJP candidate and former minister Revu Naik Belamagi, who is now with the JD(S).

The plan to bring Dr Jadhav is said to have been finalised by state party president B.S. Yeddyurappa with the BJP top brass.

Since Mr Kharge's elevation as Leader of Congress in the Lok Sabha in 2014, the Kalaburagi seat has become prestigious, attracting the attention of the saffron party top brass, which is keen on wresting it from the Congress, along with Amethi and Rae Barelli seats held by the Gandhis.

For Mr Kharge, who is aiming for his record 12th consecutive victory (he has won Assembly elections for a record nine times and the parliamentary elections twice), this election will be crucial and a prestige issue.

The BJP, which was looking for a “strong” candidate to take on this “political giant”, was debilitated by lack of one in the district. Once it even toyed with the idea of fielding former Chief Secretary Ratnaprabha against Mr Kharge. But it did not materialise.

As Mr Kharge belongs to the Left category among Dalits, the BJP was keen on fielding a candidate belonging to the Lambani community which has substantial number of voters in Chittapur, Sedam, Kalaburagi Rural and Gurumitkal Assembly segments. Dr Jadhav fitted the bill.

It was late chief minister Dharam Singh who was Dr Jadhav’s real mentor.

He was responsible in getting Dr Jadhav the Assembly ticket in 2008, when he decided to resign from his Central government job to take a political plunge.

When Mr Siddaramaiah appointed Dr Jadhv as his political secretary in 2015 and Mr Singh passed away in December 2017, Dr Jadhav moved to Mr Siddaramaiah’s camp.

After his victory in 2014, Dr Jadhav was expecting to be elevated as a minister. But the denial of berth disappointed him.

Sources close to Dr Jadhav said that if Mr Kharge had desired, he would have got Dr Jadhav a berth, but scuttled his chances. Also, Mr Siddaramaiah did not show much interest, which reportedly prompted Dr Jadhav to opt for BJP.

Observers said that BJP will benefit in two ways if Dr Jadhav joins. One, the BJP would get a strong candidate in him and second, the Congress could lose an Assembly seat once he resigns. “Dr Jadhav would be part of the Operation Kamala that is being planned now and once the by-elections are held simultaneously with the coming Lok Sabha elections, anything can happen,” they said.