Karnataka: Will Lingayats heed BJP call in Jamkhandi?

Bengaluru: With Ramanagara 'out of reach' and  the Ballari and Shivamogga Lok Sabha seats likely to see its candidates sailing through in the November 3 bypolls, the BJP is  focusing more on the Mandya Lok Sabha  and Jamkhandi Assembly byelection, according to party sources.

BJP state president, B.S. Yeddyurappa has reportedly given the responsibility of winning the  Shivamogga seat to his son and party candidate, B.Y. Raghavendra and is relying on former Ballari MP,   B. Sriramulu to  ensure the victory of his sister, J. Shantha from the constituency he gave up to contest the last assembly poll.

But it's a different story in Mandya  and Jamkhandi.  In Mandya, the party could have a herculean task winning the seat, but it could do some damage to the alliance partners.  The party is believed to  have approached disgruntled leaders of the Congress in the district to win their support. Mr Yeddyurappa has personally approached Congress leaders N. Cheluvarayaswamy, M.S. Athmananda , Ramesh Bandisiddegowda and others and  asked his party leader, C.P. Yogeshwar, to persuade others too, according to sources.

Of the two Assembly constituencies, Ramanagara and Jamkhandi where bypolls are due, the BJP is said to be focusing more on winning from the latter as it lost it by a slender margin of  3,000 votes in the May assembly poll, mainly because of the rebel factor.

With rebel leader, Sangamesh Nirani  returning to the party fold,  BJP candidate, Srikanth Kulkarni seems more confident of defeating Mr Anand Nyamagowda of the Congress in Jamkhandi.

While the BJP is also hoping to retain the Shivamogga Lok Sabha seat, which Mr Yeddyurappa gave up to contest the last assembly poll, the party' s winning margin could decline if Madhu Bangarappa of the JD(S) gives it a tough fight.

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