Hegde is BJP’s candidate, but who from JD(S)-Cong ?

Sirsi: In spite of internal differences within the party carder, union Minister Ananthkumar Hegde is almost certain to contest from the Uttara Kannada district from the BJP.

He has also started campaigning in the constituency with the same hope and has been throwing challenges to Congress leaders to ‘at least field a candidate’ from the constituency.

His arrogance has a reason: the divided opposition. The coalition partners-- JD(S) and Congress-- are not willing to give even an inch of space to other party. While Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy’s political advisor N H Konaraddi during his recent visit had declared that JD(S) would be contesting from the Uttara Kannada constituency. This had resulted in increase in the animosity between the coalition partners. While JD(S) likely candidate Anand Asnotikar has been lobbying for ticket in Bengaluru, Congress leaders during their working committee meeting, which was chaired by R V Deshpande in Sirsi on Wednesday, has decided that there is no question of Congress conceding the 
seat.

District In-charge Minister R V Deshpande is said to have told his close confidants that in no circumstances will Congress give away the seat to JD(S) which hardly has any presence in the district.

Congress sources said that the party is not in a mood to extend support to JD(S) in Uttara kannada district as Congress has better chances of winning than JD(S). Even during the 2014 Lok Sabha Elections while Congress had garnered more than four lakh votes, the JD(S) had managed only 1.30 lakh votes.

“This being the difference in the vote share, the party does not feel that it should give away seat to JD(S),” said a party leader and added that instead JD(S) should extend support to Congress so as to wrest the seat from BJP.

More over, the Congress has at least ZP members, MLAs and minister from the district, where as JD(S) has drawn blank in all the recent elections. “For Congress party, its party workers, and party interest stands taller than anything. If the high command takes a decision contrary to this, then the local party leaders will take a decision which would affect the prospects of both Congress and JD(S)” said a party leader.

At the meeting

Even at the Congress party meeting held on Wednesday passed a unanimous decision stating that Congress will not conceded the seat to JD(S). The Congress leaders said that it is not possible for them to go to each house and tell the voters to cast their votes to JD(S).

They demanded that Congress should contest from this seat, else they would ensure defeat of JD(S) in the polls. The meeting also said that the party has several eligible candidates who can contest from the seats. The party workers asked Deshpande to ensure that Congress contest from here.