Bengaluru: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is likely to face a major challenge in his home turf, Mysuru district, shortly: a by-poll to fill a vacancy in the Legislative Assembly with former minister and Nanjangud legislator V Srinivas Prasad set to quit his seat and the Congress on Monday.
The bypoll would be held within six months. Mr Srinivas Prasad, who was dropped from the cabinet during a recent reshuffle, was weighing the option of resigning from the party and Assembly membership.
Delays decision
He dithered for some time and delayed his decision due to ongoing Cauvery crisis. Mr Prasad is considered a towering personality by Dalits because he encouraged and networked fledgling Dalit organisations in the eighties.
Sources in Mr Prasad’s camp told Deccan Chronicle the leader had considered the option of fielding his son-in-law from Nanjangud constituency.
However, his son-in-law reportedly refused and insisted that the leader should contest the by-poll considering the prestige and resources that the ruling Congress would pump in during the by-poll.
“Only Mr Prasad can counter the Congress,” sources added. Initially, Mr Prasad preferred to contest as independent as part of a strategy to gain the support of leaders of both Janata Dal (Secular) and Bharatiya Janata Party.
After factoring in the caste arithmetic, however, he seems to have tilted towards the Bharatiya Janata Party, sources added.
Sources said that the late Mr Mahadev held sway over 20, 000 Lingayat voters and this could be en cashed by leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party.
“In the last election, the Bharatiya Janata Party got 35,000 votes and the Karnataka Janata Party secured 7,000 votes. We survived because late Mr Mahadev had successfully shifted his vote base to Janata Dal (Secular) candidate who finished second. If the late Mr Mahadev were to remain in the Bharatiya Janata Party, we would have lost,” sources explained.
Weak candidate
Mr Prasad’s camp-followers felt that Janata Dal (Secular) could field a weak candidate or decide against entering the fray. “Mr Prasad had held parleys with Mr Gowda and Mr Kumaraswamy on three or four occasions. We feel they may back us,” sources said.
