Leaders of the Janata Dal (S) are doing everything to set their house in order and strengthen the support base in Old Mysore region even as they plan rallies and meetings of various communities ahead of next year’s elections to the Legislative Assembly. Sources in the party told Deccan Chronicle that though the leaders feel they have an edge over both the ruling BJP and opposition Congress, parties which are plagued by internecine quarrels, they would like to address certain issues, including selection of candidates, before next year’s polls.
Party supremo H D Deve Gowda would address these issues in the party’s stronghold—Hassan, Mandya, Mysore, Chamarajanagar and other districts in Old Mysore region shortly. “Before launching the poll campaign, the leaders are keen to sort out all the problems as the party is banking heavily on these districts to secure maximum number of seats. A full-fledge campaign will begin only after that,” the sources revealed. For instance, the party has a problem on hand in Tumkur district, particularly Madhugiri Assembly constituency. Former minister Mr C Chennigappa, who migrated to BJP during last Assembly polls but returned to the party recently, wants to contest from Tumkur (rural) instead of his erstwhile constituency, Madhugiri, though former legislator Mr Lingappa has already sought a ticket for the same seat. Similarly, there are two aspirants – former legislators Mr Mudduhanume Gowda and Mr D Nagarajiah—for Kunigal Assembly constituency.
The sources said in Hassan district, Mr Gowda’s elder son and leader of Dal’s legislature party, H D Revanna, plans to reshuffle candidates despite the fact that the party won five of the seven seats in Assembly polls in 2008. Mr Revanna seems determined to deny a ticket to Channarayapatna legislator C S Putte Gowda and block the entry of former Sakaleshpur legislator H Vishwanath, an aspirant for Belur constituency. Ditto with two other Dal (S) legislators who are likely to be denied tickets, thus forcing them to turn to either BJP or Congress ahead of the polls. In Mysore, the party has a tricky problem on hand. While some leaders of BJP and Congress are knocking on the party’s doors, those who migrated to BJP during ‘Operation Lotus’ are keen to stage a home-coming. All of them are seeking an assurance on tickets for the Assembly polls.