Srinivas Prasad may settle for BJP, but JD(S) still wooing him

Former minister V Srinivas Prasad, who is set to resign as Congress MLA on October 17, is said to be more inclined to joining the BJP than the JD(S).

The BJP and the JD(S) are making efforts to rope him in. Though Prasad is yet to formally announce his move, his resignation is certain. Legislative Assembly Speaker K B Koliwad is scheduled to meet Prasad on October 17 between 11.30 am and noon.

Politicians who have been trying to negotiate with him said the Congress leader is aware that the BJP has more influence than the JD(S) over Nanjangud, the SC Reserved constituency which is held by Prasad.

Lingayats form a major part of the electorate. Hence, Prasad may settle for the BJP, it is said.

It is also said that Prasad, while remaining active in politics, may field one of his sons-in-law from Nanjangud. The BJP may ‘reward’ Prasad by giving him some position as he was a  minister in the Vajpayee government.

The JD(S) has not given up and party supremo H D Deve Gowda is directly in touch with him. Even local JD(S) leaders, including G T Deve Gowda and Sa Ra Mahesh, are doing their best to get Prasad into the party fold.

The reason is Prasad, in his interaction with the media on Thursday in Mysuru, had said that he would take a decision only after quitting the Congress. He had said he had helped Siddaramaiah become the chief minister but the chief minister humiliated him and removed him from the state Cabinet.

Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly, Jagadish Shettar said in Dharwad that grave injustice has been done to Prasad by Siddaramaiah. The chief minister has protected some of the ministers facing charges of corruption and land encroachment but dropped Prasad from the Cabinet.

BJP State president B S Yeddyurappa has spoken to him and it is up to Prasad to take a final call, said Shettar.