 "BJP facing dissent, JD(S) yet to find candidate in Mysore")
Janata Dal (S) leaders were probably banking on veteran Congress leader C K Jaffer Sharief joining the JD(S) unhappy with the denial of ticket to him to contest from Bangalore. His meeting with JD(S) supremo H D Deve Gowda had raised hopes in this regard. However, the former Union Minister has not yet revealed his stance and is leaving for Mecca on a pilgrimage.
Alternatively, JD(S) may field ex-MLC Mallikarjunappa who is expected to quit the BJP in a day or two to join the JD(S).
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who is campaigning relentlessly, is reported to have told his party workers here yesterday that Sharief would remain in the Congress. He had made this clear to him when he requested him to stay on with the party.
On the other hand, the BJP has given ticket to a political novice, Pratap Simha, a journalist from Bangalore. Surprised and shocked over the choice, a section of local leaders and workers have openly revolted against the party. A former corporator M D Parthasarathy made it clear yesterday that he and his supporters would stay away from campaigning in Krishnaraja constituency if ticket was not given to former MP C H Vijayashankar.
Meanwhile, Simha, who arrived here on March 14 amidst protests, has begun his campaign in right earnest.
Vijayashankar, who belongs to the backward class is a Kuruba leader, and he has charged the party with doing injustice to the whole community by not fielding a single candidate from the backward classes in the state.
Also Read
Simha, who is a Vokkaliga, may face a tough time convincing the Kuruba community voters over the denial of ticket to Vijayashankar.
While this is the case in the two main parties in Mysore, the Congress is exploiting the situation with an intensive campaign, its leaders and workers actively campaigning for Viswanath.
District incharge minister V Sreenivasa Prasad, Minister H C Mahadevappa, Viswanath and other leaders today addressed a scheduled castes' meeting and impressed upon them of the achievements of the Siddaramaiah government within a short span.
Prasad recalled how the JD(S) had associated with the BJP to gain power in the state and how it stabbed the party in the back. He ridiculed former Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa, on forming his own party, and also the BJP for welcoming him back despite allegations again him.
He elaborated on the achievements under Siddaramaiah who had introduced a number of welfare programmes like the sale of a kg rice for a Rupee under the Anna Bhagya scheme. He added that all the promises made in the Assembly election manifesto would be implemented. Prasad said, proposals like ~1,000 pension, Aashraya house, BPL ration card and medical coverage under 'Yashaswini' for unmarried women were among them.