JD(S) vows to defeat Khan, 3 other former MLAs in poll

Bengaluru: The Janata Dal (S), which was looking to get even with the seven MLAs, who deserted it to join the Congress after "betraying" it  and cross voting in the 2016 elections Rajya Sabha elections from the state, has now decided to settle scores with only four of them.

In all, eight MLAs, B Zameer Ahamed Khan, N Cheluvarayaswamy,  Ramesh Bandisidde Gowda, H G Balakrishna,  Akhanda Srinivas Murthy, Bhima Naik,  Iqbal Ansari and  Gopalaiah had cross- voted for Congress candidate, K C Ramamurthy, leading to the defeat of  JD(S) candidate , B M Farooq. While Mr Gopalaiah returned to the JD(S), the seven others were suspended by the party and they quit it to  join the Congress recently.

A livid JD(S) supremo, H D Deve Gowda has publicly vowed to defeat them in the coming Assembly elections. But the party appears to have decided to take on only four of them as the other three are contesting from constituencies that are a write-off for the JD(S). While the party is fielding candidates against Mr  Srinivasmurthy in Pulikeshinagar, Mr  Naik in Hagari Bommanahalli, and  Mr  Ansari in Gangavati, it may not put in as much effort in these constituencies where it stands little chance of winning as in Nagamangala, Chamarajpet, Magadi and Srirangapattana, where it  is doing everything possible to defeat  Mr Cheluvarayaswamy, Mr Zameer Ahamed Khan, Mr Balakrishna and Mr Bandisidde Gowda.