Bengaluru: The BJP appears to be soft peddling on the JD(S) in the Vokkaliga strongbelt of Hassan, Mandya and Bengaluru Rural if the selection of its candidates for these districts is any indication. Not only has the saffron party chosen weak or lesser known candidates in Hassan and Mandya, it has given tickets to even those who had not aspired for them in some parts , including Madduru, ignoring the requests of senior party leader, S.M. Krishna for tickets for his supporters. The move seems more deliberate than accidental as the party has candidates with potential both in Madduru and Mandya, going by BJP sources
The BJP has also been accused of fielding a weak candidate against senior Dal leader, H.D. Revanna in Holenarasipura and a stranger in Nagamangala constituency. So far the party has not announced a candidate against state JD(S) chief, H.D. Kumaraswamy in Ramanagara and a candidate for Kanakapura. There’s no mention of candidates as yet for Hassan, Beluru and Sakaleshpura either. A senior party leader claimed the idea was not to confront the JD(S). “Our main rival is the Congress and our aim is to overthrow the Siddaramaiah government. We don’t consider the JD(S) a threat,” he explained. Although the BJP was serious about extending it's base in old Mysuru and Bengaluru Rural districts, and had entrusted the responsibility of inducting Congress and Dal workers into the party from these parts to senior leader, C.P. Yogishwar, the strategy did not work out, going by the party insider.
