Bengaluru: While Janata Dal (S) chief, H.D. Kumaraswamy said on Monday that a decision on fielding candidates for the Nanjangud and Gundlupet Assembly bypolls would be taken by party supremo and former prime minister H.D. Deve Gowda at a meeting on March 15, party insiders say it has almost decided against contesting them.
Mr Kumaraswamy has described the by polls as an " ego fight" between the BJP and Congress, but its decision has nothing to do with this, according to sources. They revealed that the JD(S) had a private agency assess its chances in both constituencies and did not receive an encouraging report. The survey found that despite its vote share being intact in Nanjangud, the JD(S) could find it difficult to win from the constituency. Besides, it is believed, that if it contests from both constituencies, it will only be helping the BJP. Unwilling to be held responsible for a win by the saffron party as this could affect its minority votes, the party would rather not contest the bypolls, sources add.
The party is also reportedly worried about the bypolls becoming an economic burden. Mr Gowda has argued in the past that the elections to the state Assembly could be preponed if the BJP won in Uttar Pradesh on its own steam.
He reportedly believes that candidates of both constituencies would then have to face two elections in a span of six to eight months making it difficult for them. Also, the JD(S) office bearers and legislators in Chamarajnagar and Mysuru are reportedly against fielding candidates in both constituencies that are going to the polls soon.
