Bangalore: A section of Congress leaders believe that Lingayat strongman B.S. Yeddyurappa's re-entry into BJP will add at least four to five per cent votes to the BJP's kitty across North Karnataka, which they lost in the last Assembly elections. It will be uphill task for the Congress to ensure its candidates' victory in four to five Lok Sabha constituencies that come under Mumbai-Karnataka region (MK).
Speaking to Deccan Chronicle, a senior leader from the region observed that Yeddyurappa draws clout from this region, as he has a good number of leaders with him. "With Yeddyurappa forming his outfit, KJP in 2011, his influence on voters grew in Haveri, Hubli-Dharwad, Belgaum, Bagalkot, Bijapur, Chitradurga, Davangere and Tumkur, apart from his home district, Shimoga and
some parts of Hyderabad-Karnataka. Certainly, BJP will be in a better position in parliament constituencies in these districts," the source explained.
The source further claimed that Yeddyurappa was the cause of the drop in the BJP's vote share in North-Karnataka by no less than 10 per cent. "Now, with his re-entry, they are going to recover at least four five per cent of their vote share, which they had lost to him.
The party needs to act fast to reduce his influence, by launching a widespread campaign about development oriented programmes taken-up by the Congress government," the source explained.
The source added that the party will have to concentrate on winning more seats in Hyderabad-Karnataka, Bengaluru and Old Mysore region which can ensure a decent number of seats in the Lok Sabaha elections.
"Article 371 (J) of the Constitution, aimed at bringing about all-round development in six districts of Hyderabad-Karnataka - Gulbarga, Yadgir, Bellary, Bidar, Raichur and Koppal can ertainly come to our rescue in sweeping all five Parliament seats, provided, the party fields winnable candidates.
In Old Mysore, CM Siddarmaiah can lead from the front to ensure victory in all Lok Sabha seats and in Bengaluru, the government need to act pro-actively to ally fears of investors as well as middle class voters to ensure victory in three seats," the source said.
