Bengaluru: BJP wooing disgruntled JD(S), Congress netas ahead of Lok Sabha polls

Bengaluru: The state BJP, which is hoping to win 22 Lok Sabha seats from Karnataka, is trying to reach out to Congress and JD(S) leaders, who are upset with the seat sharing agreements between the two parties, to help it consolidate its chances in some of the constituencies.

The party has swung into action seeing that Congress leaders and workers have openly revolted against their party for giving up the Udupi-Chikamagaluru, Tumakuru, Uttara Kannada, and Vijayapura constituencies to its coalition partner, the JD(S).

“The ongoing turmoil in the Congress and JD(S) could help us win more seats," admits a senior BJP leader, adding that the next step of his party would be to fuel the differences between the coalition partners.

“Our leaders are already approaching their disgruntled leaders. We have also decided to depute senior leaders to each Lok Sabha constituency, where Congress and JD(S) leaders are at loggerheads to garner more support from the ground to win the elections," he explained.

Sources close to state BJP chief, B S Yeddyurappa claimed local Congress leaders had already promised to remain neutral in Mandya, Tumakuru and Hassan Lok Sabha constituencies where the JD(S) will field candidates, to help the saffron party win from them. Now that it has "outside help" the BJP, which is keen on winning from these three constituencies, has decided to focus on them in the run-up to the election, they say. In Chamarajanagara, the BJP has reportedly sent feelers to former minister, Dr. H.C. Mahadevappa, who locked horns with former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in the 2018 Assembly elections and is said to be unhappy with the present state of things in the party.