Waiting for the two main players, BJP and Congress, to decide all their candidates and fielding some powerful people who have missed the bus on JDS tickets has been an old trick of the Goudas. It is a tried, tested, sometimes unsuccessful and sometimes successful idea.
This time, the JDS has fielded over 20 BJP and Congress defectors across the state, causing consternation in both the camps. HDK’s job was clearly a lot easier this time as there were no yorkers.
Most of the more than 20 defectors, including some sitting legislators, are well-known faces with their own following and clout. HDK is hopeful that JDS can win at least 10 additional seats if its bet pays off. Since these are not their original candidates, even if they lose, it will not affect JDS much, but at least the party’s vote share may increase.
JDS has fielded former BJP MLA MP Kumaraswamy from Mudigere in Chikmagalur district. The BJP had refused to re-nominate MP Kumaraswamy to try for a fresh face close to the party’s national general secretary CT Ravi, who is seeking his fifth straight term from neighboring Chikmagalur. The JDS has fielded disgruntled BJP youth and BSY’s former personal assistant NR Santhosh from Arsikere after its sitting MLA KM Shivalinge Gowda defected to the Congress. In Kadur, former JDS MLA YSV Dutta is back on JDS ticket after Congress denied him a chance.
BJP MLC and senior Lingayat leader Ayanur Manjunath has quit the party to contest on JDS ticket from Shimoga city. Along with him, former Congress MLA KB Prasanna Kumar has also joined JDS with a pledge to defeat his former party. In Kumta-Honnavar, the JDS has trapped Congress rebels Suraj Nayak and Moideen Bawa in Mangalore North.
In the politically volatile city of Bellary, veteran Congress leader Anil Lad has crossed over to the JDS after his party chose Bharat Reddy.
For all its pretensions of a national party, the JDS is a sub-regional party, with a strong presence in just six districts of the old Mysore region in south Karnataka. Its Vokkaliga caste party tag has prevented the JDS from expanding its base outside the Gowda stronghold. HDK has sensed a huge opportunity and scope in this election to go beyond the traditional boundaries and has fielded more than a dozen BJP and Congress rebels in the remaining constituencies of Karnataka.
JDS fielded veteran Congress leader Dr AB Malkareddy from Yadagiri, other prominent BJP and Congress defectors Suryakant Nagamarapalli in Bidar, Guru Patil in Shahpur, Pradeep Malagi in Raibag and Anand Chopra from Soundatti Yellamma, Dr Devaraj Patil in Bagalkot, Doddappa in Jewargi Gowda has been fielded. , Somana Gowda in Basavana Bagewadi, Chandrasekhar in Koppal, Kalappa Gaddi in Nawalgund, SL Ghotnekar in Haliyal, Chitra Kottur in Karwar, Manohar Tehsildar in Hanagal, Nemiraj Naik in Hagaribommanahalli, and Bhimappa in Kudaligi in North Karnataka.
It has fielded former Congress minister and BJP switcher A Manju in Arkalgud in place of sitting MLA AT Ramaswamy, who crossed over to the BJP; Rajagopala Reddy in Bangalore South and Dr Bharati Shankar in his stronghold of Varuna in the old Mysore region.
JDS has won an average of 40 seats since 2004. The highest was 58 seats in 2004 and the lowest was 28 in 2008. In 2013 and 2018, it won 40 and 38 seats respectively. Its vote share in the state is 15-18 per cent.
If the Gowda clan’s ambitious plan to breach the northern citadel of Congress and BJP through these defectors succeeds, the two national parties will suffer the most. After this he may have to beg JDS for support to form the next government.
Speaking to News18, HD Kumaraswamy said: “We will win seats across Karnataka and form the next government.”
However, everyone including HDK knows that winning Karnataka on its own is still a distant dream and the situation could create a hung House.
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