TUMAKURU: After district JD(S) president M.R. Hulinaykar, a Kuruba leader, switched to the BJP, many other leaders in the district are set to follow suit affecting the chances of JD(S) candidate BEML Kantharaju, who was reportedly ‘imposed’ on local workers by the state leadership and MLAs S.R. Srinivas and B. Suresh Babu.
“Party supremo Deve Gowda had wished to see slain leader BEML Krishnappa as MLA and now wants to fulfill his dream by making his foster son Kantharaju MLC,” said Suresh Babu. Zilla Panchayat president Y.H. Hucchaiah a senior Dalit leader has joined the BJP and so has APMC president S.R. Gowda of JD(S).
When contacted Hucchaiah said, “I had an invitation from district BJP leaders including president Suresh Gowda, former MP G.S. Basavaraj and others. So I felt it better to join BJP instead of continuing in the JD(S) which does not give any importance to party workers”.
This polarization ahead of the Council elections is likely to affect the JD(S) not only in the Council polls but also in the forthcoming Zilla Panchayat and Taluk Panchayat elections. Some leaders, sensing that the BJP will bounce back soon, are awaiting their turn and may join the party ahead of the 2018 assembly elections.
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