Bengaluru: With a revolt brewing in the BJP over candidate selection and similar trouble expected in the Congress ahead of the May 12 Assembly polls, the JD(S) has decided to adopt a 'wait and watch' approach to accommodate 'disgruntled' ticket losers who might shift to their party.
If sources are to be believed, there may be changes in the first list of JD(S) candidates for 126 seats announced a few weeks ago to accommodate party hoppers from BJP and JD(S). In fact, state JD(S) President H.D. Kumaraswamy had reportedly decided to announce the second and final list of candidates during the rally in Chamarajpet in Bengaluru last week. However, JD(S) supremo H.D. Deve Gowda advised his son not to hurry and wait until the two national parties announced their lists that those denied tickets would come knocking on the doors of JD(S). Sources told DC that several BJP ticket aspirants have approached JD(S) leaders seeking tickets. The number of those approaching the JD(S) is likely to swell once the first list of Congress candidates is released in the next two to three days. Since there are 1,000 aspirants for 224 tickets, many Congress aspirants are likely to join JD(S). Compared to the BJP, the pressure for tickets is more in the Congress with pre-poll surveys indicating the possibility of the Congress coming back to power.
A JD(S) leader did not rule out changes in at least 15-20 Assembly constituencies for which the candidates had already been announced. The next four or five days would be crucial as the two national parties will have to announce candidates for all 224 Assembly constituencies to enable them to start work in their constituencies. Those denied JD(S) tickets to accommodate leaders being inducted from other parties, would be nominated to the Council or appointed chairpersons of boards and corporations if the party comes to power, said sources.
