BENGALURU: As the 2018 assembly elections get closer each day, changes in the political affiliations appear to become more and more bigger.
After dalit leader and former Congress minister V Sreenivas Prasad joined the
BJP after months of speculations, it now appears that former BJP deputy CM and opposition floor leader in legislative council K S
Eshwarappa is likely to jump ship and join the JD(S).
After his rather open remark that his
Sangolli Rayanna brigade will not be campaigning for BJP state president
B S Yeddyurappa for becoming the next chief minister, the BJP state and national leadership is on the verge of expelling Eshwarappa from the party.
Sources within the BJP said that Eshwarappa has also approached the JD(S) supremo H D
Deve Gowda, via intermediaries, to join the regional party and offer his brigade support.
It is said over the last few months a series of meetings were supposedly held between Eshwarappa confidant K Mukadappa and JD(S) supremo H D Deve Gowda to chart out a so-called brokering of terms between the two for the former to join the regional party.
Informed sources in both the parties cite that Eshwarappa camp has sought for a “walk over” in the 2018 elections either from Bhadravathi or Tirthahalli, wherein the Vokkaliga population is in a sizeable number. Further, it has also sought for JD(S) to help him in an eventuality wherein he will be expelled from the BJP.
At the other end, Eshwarappa has offered the assistance of his Sangolli Rayanna Brigade to JD(S) for garnering the large number of Kuruba votes in north Karnataka, wherein the regional party is trying to make a headway.
It is said even Deve Gowda is ambivalent to accept the terms as he intends to correct the perception of his party being an anti-Kuruba community, due to his politics in denying chief minister Siddaramaiah the coveted post of becoming the CM in 2007.
However, speaking to TOI, Deve Gowda dismissed the speculations and said no such developments have taken place.
“I have nothing to do with the political development and there is not much I can react to,” he said.
After the untimely demise of A Krishnappa who was a Kuruba and party state president, after jumping ship from Congress prior to the 2014 Lok Sabah elections, the JD(S) is seeking for a “leader” among the Kuruba community.
It is likely that the BJP may consider Eshwarappa explusion as his anti-BSY stand may cause greater damage rather than his leaving the outfit.
JD(S) thinks twice to field a candidate in the two by-polls
With two prestigious by-polls of Nanjangud and Gundlupet approaching fast, the
Janata Dal (Secular) is thinking twice over fielding candidates.
“With only eight or nine months left for the 2018 assembly elections, will spending so much of money on the elections have any bearing? What is the point of fighting at this age for these elections?” questioned JD(S) national president H D Deve Gowda. The party supremo said he will nonetheless consider fielding the candidates if the constituency party workers and leaders insist upon it.