Karnataka polls: BJP devises new plan to put prominent leaders in front

The BJP is pulling out all stops to come to power in Karnataka again and the central leadership has proposed a new strategy to win the elections. After the internal surveys hinted that it is difficult for BJP to achieve the magic number to form the government in the upcoming elections, its top leaders have devised a new strategy to defeat the Congress and form the government on its own or in coalition with HD Devegowda’s Janata Dal (Secular).

According to the internal sources in the BJP, the party’s central leadership has proposed to make use of its ‘high-profile’ and ‘powerful’ leaders, who are aiming for high positions in the party or in the government, and assign them the task of making ‘fresh candidates’ chosen by the party win.

Testing its leaders

The strategy is to test its own leaders and also to win more constituencies. The MLAs who are powerful in all aspects, influential and from upper castes, will be given tickets from other constituencies of their choice. The responsibility is to make new MLA aspirants contest from their original constituencies and make their win and also win themselves. This is to test the leaders who aspire for bigger positions in the party and government.

Also read: Karnataka polls: Chintamani, Kolar to witness changes in BJP’s favour, says Bommai

Some of its senior leaders include Dr C N Ashwatha Narayana (Malleshwara constituency), R Ashok (Padmanabhanagar), Aravinda Limbavali (Mahadevapura), S Raghu (CV Raman Nagar), M Satish Reddy (Bommanahalli), LA Ravi Subrahmanya (BAsavanagudi), G KArunakara Reddy (Harapanahalli), B Sriramulu (Molakalmuru), MP Renukacharya (Honnali). They may have to contest from their chosen constituencies, sources added.

For the time being, the list has around 20 MLAs and the idea behind this is to grab 20 more constituencies. According to this idea, those ‘powerful MLAs’ will have to contest from the constituencies, where Congress has its MLAs at present. 

According to the sources, it has been planned that Ashwatha Narayana will contest from Kanakapura, where he has to contest against the KPCC chief and the ‘CM aspirant’ D K Shivakumar. Aravind Limbavali, who is the MLA of Mahadevapura, to contest from Anekal or some other place and R Ashok, the present MLA of Padmanabhanagar will contest from BTM Layout.

Minister Ashwatha Narayana will contest from Kanakapura in order to grab Vokkaliga votes in the Vokkaliga belt. If he loses, the BJP will build its own base and he will help the BJP candidate to win from his original Malleswhara constituency. If he loses, the party would ensure he is recognised and rewarded in the future for his sacrifice. This applies to Minister R Ashok also; he will have to contest against Ramalinga Reddy, the Congress leader and former minister. Interestingly, there is always a rumour in political circles that the two leaders are friends beyond politics.

It is said that the Union Home Minister Amit Shah and the BJP national president JP Nadda have ideated this plan and proposed this before the state leaders. The discussion is going on in the party circles and also among the leaders.

 The BJP has already prepared a list of fresh candidates to contest from the constituencies of the above leaders. At the same time, the sources said that there will be fresh faces in the election to replace a few leaders, including S Suresh Kumar, KS Eshwarappa, BS Yediyurappa etc. The new faces will be from the organisational background and they will be made future leaders, a senior BJP leader said.

Also read: Karnataka polls: DKS tells Bommai to ‘pack up’, Congress will come to power in state

The Congress plan

On the contrary, Congress leaders are willing to change their existing constituencies to ensure their victory. Its prominent leaders include former CM  Siddaramaiah and G Parameshwar. Siddaramaiah, now an MLA from Badami constituency, has said that he will contest from Kolar, which is a Kuruba and minority vote base.  In Badami, he is facing internal fight between Congress leaders. He won the constituency in 2018 with the lowest margin of votes.

G Parameshwara, the former KPCC chief, is also planning to change his constituenc (Koratagere). Though it is a reserved constituency for SCs, he is facing threats from the JDS and BJP candidates and is planning to switch over to Sarvajna Nagar or Pulikeshinagar, the reserved constituencies in Bengaluru.

Will DK Shivakumar shift?

Sources said that DK Shivakumar, who has a hold on his Kanakapura constituency, may also contest from Mandya or any other such constituencies in the Vokkaliga heartland. His idea is to become Vokkaliga leader in the Old Mysuru region as his political grip is concentrated on Kanakapura till now and he wants to expand his base.