Bengaluru: With a virtual revolt brewing in the district among its workers, the Mandya Congress unit has been reduced to a mute spectator while they stay away from campaigning for JD(S) candidate, L.R. Shivaramegowda, in the Mandya Lok Sabha bypoll.
After the Nagamangala taluk Congress unit workers created a ruckus on Sunday over the alliance with the JD(S), the party's workers in Pandavapura trained their guns on their leaders on Monday and did not allow former PWD Minister, Dr H.C. Mahadevappa to address a poll rally.
A similar revolt is expected in Srirangapatna and KR Pete where the coalition partners in the state government have planned joint poll rallies on Tuesday.
"State Congress leaders may have warned of stern action against those boycotting the joint campaign of the two parties but they can do little at this stage. Chances of a split in the Congress and exodus of important leaders to the Opposition BJP cannot be ruled out," says a senior Congress leader.
He believes the results of the five November 3 by-elections and particularly the Mandya Lok Sabha bypoll, will be crucial for the Congress as they could decide the party's future strategy with the 2019 Lok Sabha polls looming. Noting that JD(S) supremo, H.D. Deve Gowda has already demanded 10 Lok Sabha constituencies, including Chamarajangar, Mysuru and Mandya, for his party as he sees them as its fortress, he says this demand could get louder if Mr Shivaramegowda wins the Mandya bypoll. Should that happen, it could be the end of the Congress in Mandya, which would only make its workers more unhappy, he warns.
" Already, over a dozen Congress legislators are unhappy with their party bosses for hobnobbing with the JD(S). A few former and sitting MLAs are said to be in close contact with the saffron party leaders and they could take a decision on joining it after the much-delayed Cabinet expansion," the Congress leader claims, adding that some defeated Congress legislators are also coming together to launch a 'save Congress' campaign to protest its "surrender" to the JD(S).
