Mangaluru: The Congress, which has always blamed the SDPI of having a secret pact with the BJP, has managed to persuade SDPI leaders to withdraw all its candidates except three.
Though it has brought a cheer to the Congress camp as minority votes would not be split, some Congress leaders are concerned that this 'understanding’ could backfire as Hindu votes could consolidate in favour of the BJP.
Since its inception in 2009, SDPI has strengthened itself in Dakshina Kannada and parts of Mysuru and North Karnataka. This time, it had decided to contest from 50 constituencies, but withdrew from 47, in an apparent understanding with the Congress.
Not long ago, the ruling party had alleged that the SDPI and BJP have a secret pact to divide the minority votes and to defeat the Congress. But Congress leaders in the district and state have succeeded in persuading the SDPI not to field candidates from any constituency in Dakshina Kannada district. It will, however, field candidates from the Narasimharaja constituency in Mysuru, Chickpet in Bengaluru and Gulbarga, where it had performed well in the 2013 elections.
