BENGALURU: The Janata Dal (Secular), which has released its first lists of 93 candidates over a month ago, is playing the wait-and-watch game till the BJP and the announce their candidates and hopes to rope in disgruntled leaders from both parties. The Congress has announced two lists so far while the BJP’s first list on candidates is expected today (Monday).
Former Chief Minister and JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy plans to rope in rebel leaders from the Congress and BJP and plans to field them where the party has no strong candidates. Congress leaders like Raghu Achar, Manohar Tahasildar, Raju Naik and Asho Pujari have already joined the JD(S) after bteing denied tickets. The JD(S) is expecting more exits after the BJP announces its list.
While the party has a strong presence in Old Mysuru region it is scouting for strong candidates in North Karnataka and Kittur Karnataka regions and is banking on exits from other parties before announcing its second list.
Meanwhile, the party is preparing to finalise its candidate from Hassan when H D Revanna’s wife Bhavani is insisting that she should be given the ticket, while Kumaraswamy is in favour of a party leader.
Bhavani Revanna is also said to be considering contesting as a rebel if the party ticket is issued to anyone else whereas Revanna himself has demanded that if Bhavani is not considered, the ticket should go to a candidate of his choice. Their sons have also threatened not to work for the party if Bhavani is not given the ticket.
However, Kumaraswamy has maintaned that the ticket will be given to a party worker and claims that the party patriarch H D Deve Gowda too is of the same view.