Bengaluru: With Lok Sabha constituencies in the old Mysuru region witnessing a lot of tension between JD(S) and Congress workers, the BJP feels that a large chunk of the Vokkaliga vote bank will shift to the party because of the disenchantment over the coalition pact.
In an informal chat with reporters, the BJP's Karnataka in-charge Muralidhar Rao said the alliance between the Congress and JD(S) has proved costly for the Congress and it is hundred per cent sure that the Congress will lose the few sitting seats it has due to the alliance struck with the JD(S).
He added that though the ruling coalition has entered into a pre -poll alliance, it has not percolated to the grassroot level leaving the BJP the big gainer in Old Mysuru region.
More importantly, a substantial number of Vokkaliga voters of the JD(S) will shift to the BJP in Mysuru, Hassan, Tumakuru, Chikkaballapur and Udupi-Chikamagaluru Lok Sabha constituencies. With the shifting of the Vokkaliga vote bank, the BJP will be able to identify new Vokkaliga leaders in the future, he assessed.
“The BJP has successfully confined JD(S) leaders and even the Chief Minister to Old Mysuru region by ensuring a pitched battle in Hassan, Tumakuru and Mysuru Lok Sabha constituencies. Confining the JD(S) leaders to particular region is a great achievement for us. With this we have won half the battle in old Mysuru region,” Mr Rao said.
Exuding confidence over winning 22 of the 28 Lok Sabha seats in Karnataka, Mr Rao said, " our winning streak started with 17 Lok Sabha seats in 2014 and we are giving a tough fight in eight more Lok Sabha constituencies, I cannot say how many of these eight seats we will win,” he said.
Downplaying the factionalism in the state BJP, he said, “Such reports on a tussle between party national joint secretary B.L Santhosh and BJP State President B.S.Yeddyurappa are completely baseless. Since Mr Santhosh is taking care of organizational matters, the party does not consider him a leader who can be equated with Yeddyurappa. In such a situation, how can he be seen competing with Yeddyurappa? No one is competing with Yeddyurappa", Mr. Rao asserted.
He also defended the party decision to deny the Bangalore South ticket to Tejaswini Ananth Kumar, widow of former Union Minister Ananth Kumar.
“The central leadership has acknowledged the services of Ananth Kumar for the growth and development of the Karnataka BJP. Tejaswini Ananth Kumar will definitely get her due in the party. Being party national general secretary, I assure that. The party will give her enough space to grow independently in the state BJP", Mr Rao said.
Since Former Deputy Chief Minister R. Ashok is a senior leader and is considered the Vokkaliga face of the party, he will definitely take a lead in ensuring the victory of BJP candidate Tejasvi Surya in Bangalore South, said Mr Rao.
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