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It has been a season of political migration in Karnataka as partymen at different levels are switching loyalties looking for greener pastures in the run-up to the Lok Sabha polls in a three-horse race. Party hopping or homecoming in some cases and poaching on rivals have cut across all the three principal players, the ruling Congress, BJP and JD-S.
The migration began with former Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa’s homecoming to BJP after merging his Karnataka Janatha Paksha, almost a year after he floated his new outfit. It was a mutually beneficial development for both Yeddyurappa, who in the May 2013 Assembly polls, had played spoilsport to BJP, which also was eager to ensure that the votes were not split in the Lok Sabha polls. The changing of parties gathered momentum after the schedule for the Lok Sabha polls were announced with the state going to elections on April 17.
JD-S headed by former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda has been playing a predatory role, waiting for an opportunity to take disgruntled elements from other parties into its fold, a reason that explains delay in releasing its candidates list. In the latest development, Congress veteran Jaffer Sharief has given strong indications of joining JD-S after he was denied the ticket to contest from Bangalore Central. Congress has made placatory moves to retain Sharief, an eight time Lok Sabha member, but so far in vain, even as JD-S is planning to field him from Mysore, a move that might hurt the ruling party.
JD-S also wooed Mahima Patel, son of former Chief Minister, late J H Patel, capitalising on his discontent after being denied ticket to contest the Lok Sabha polls by Congress from Davangere constituency. His desire is now fulfilled with JDS fielding him from Davanagere.
Former Union Minister Dhananjay Kumar, was also embraced by JD-S after he failed to gain re-entry to BJP. Door was shut on Kumar, a close follower of Yeddyurappa, as he had earlier launched a no-holds-barred personal attack on BJP veteran L K Advani. He is now JD-S candidate from Udupi-Chikkamagalur.
Election eve party hopping was best exemplified by Samajwadi Party’s lone MLA Y P Yogeshwara, who returned to the Congress. He began with Congress and joined BJP when it came to power in 2008 and was a minister. He left BJP and joined SP before the May 2013 Assembly polls. Yogeshwara was also an independent MLA earlier. Another follower of Yeddyurappa, Lakshminarayana, who was also left in the lurch with BJP refusing entry, has joined the Congresss.
Former Bangalore Police Commissioner H T Sangliana had publicly given vent to his unhappiness that no Christian candidate had been chosen by Congress in the state and indicated that he would join JD-S which was also reportedly toying with the idea of fielding him for the elections. He has however had a change of mind yesterday saying he would remain in the Congress. Sangliana had been a BJP Lok Sabha member from Bangalore Central before joining Congress.
Even stars are bitten by the bug. Kannada actress Rakshita has joined the BJP after her journey first through BSR Congress and then JD-S. Another actor and Kannada Development Authority chief Mukhyamantri Chandru found a new political home in Congress when he joined the party yesterday. He was in the BJP for many years and was an MLC. BSR Congress’ B Sriramulu himself recently was taken back into the BJP fold ignoring protestations by BJP senior Sushma Swaraj who did not want any tainted leader to be welcomed.
Sriramulu was closely linked with jailed mining baron Janardhana Reddy. With opposition to BSR Congress’ merger, Sriramulu has walked alone into the BJP, leaving his followers high and dry with an uncertain future, even as he is contesting on BJP ticket from Bellary.
