Bengaluru/Kalaburagi: Amid growing dissent among legislators, Janata Dal (Secular) patriarch H D Deve Gowda and his son and state unit chief H D Kumaraswamy would chair a meeting of the legislature party on Wednesday to finalize the list of candidates for forthcoming polls to the Legislative Council.
Mr Gowda and Mr Kumaraswamy would elicit views of legislators ahead of selection of candidates for these crucial polls, according to sources in the party.
At present, Janata Dal (Secular) has five MLCs in the upper House and but its strong presence in local bodies in Old Mysuru region and Bengaluru (rural) could help increase its strength.
Sources said two sitting MLCs—Hulinaikar (Tumakuru) and Patel Shivaram (Hassan) are unlikely to get tickets for the second term. Instead, they would be replaced by Bemel Kantaraj and from Hassan, H.D. Revanna's wife Bhavani Revanna is keen to contest with party workers too demanding that she be given a chance to enter the fray.
Sources said that Mr Gowda, however, seems to be in a dilemma on the question of fielding another family member from Hassan, since Mr Deve Gowda himself represents Hassan Lok Sabha constituency, his elder son H.D. Revanna, was elected from Holenarasipura Assembly segment, and Mr Gowda’s son-in-law Dr. Manjunath's brother C.N. Balakrishna, represents Shravanabelagola.
Therefore, he has not made up his mind to field Mrs Bhavani from Hassan but would take a final call after eliciting the opinion of MLAs and party workers, the sources added.
The leaders, however, have decided to retain Sandesh Nagaraj and E. Krishnappa from Mysuru and Bengaluru (rural) districts respectively.
Party leaders are likely to discuss on going tussle between party MLAs and Mr Kumaraswamy. Three senior MLAs have locked horns with Mr Kumaraswamy after he categorically denied alliance with the Congress.
Sources said that Mr Zameer Ahamed Khan's frequent parleys with Mr Siddaramaiah upset Mr Kumaraswamy particularly as his former minister made similar moves earlier to strike a deal with Congress leaders for grabbing the posts of Mayor and deputy Mayor in BBMP. “This has not gone down well with Mr Kumaraswamy, as Mr Zameer Ahamed had hogged the limelight when alliance was struck earlier Seething with anger, Mr Kumaraswamy ensured that his party struck an alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party in Mysuru to elect the new Mayor soon after this episode just to demonstrate that he was the boss of his party,” sources disclosed to Deccan Chronicle.
We will contest all seats: HD Kumaraswamy
Contrary to the stand taken earlier by Janata Dal (Secular) supremo H.D. Deve Gowda, the Janata Dal (Secular) now wants to field its candidates in all the seats in the ongoing election to the Legislative Council from the local bodies constituencies in the State.
The latest stand of the party was announced by Janata Dal (Secular) state president H.D. Kumaraswamy.
Speaking to this newspaper over phone, Mr Kumaraswamy said that his party has decided to field its candidates in all constituencies in the state.
“Efforts are underway to identify the candidates and the names would be announced in a couple of days. We have decided to field the candidates as we want to retain and maintain our identity”, Mr Kumaraswamy said ruling out a tie-up with the Congress.
Mr Kumaraswamy’s pronouncement is at variance with the party’s stand announced by Mr Gowda on October 30.
Mr Gowda had said his party will not field its candidates in six to seven districts where it has no base in the coming elections.
Mr Kumaraswamy tried to downplay the efforts made by his associates-Zameer Ahmed and N. Cheluvarayaswamy to have a tie up with the Congress in the polls to the Council. “The party had not authorised them to have a dialogue with the Congress,” he added.
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