The Congress and the BJP may have been at a loss as a few of their MLAs and leaders deserted them after being denied tickets to contest the May 5 Assembly elections. But the JD(S) is surely deriving some benefit out of this situation.
The JD(S) has got a few formidable candidates from other parties to field in constituencies where it is either facing dearth of good candidates or has no base to take on the Congress and the BJP. At least eight leaders from other parties (mostly from the BJP), including three sitting MLAs -- Raju Gouda, Manappa Vajjal and HS Shankaralingegowda -- have joined the JD(S) in the last two months. BJP MLC Shashil Namoshi and MLA Belur Gopalakrishna will be joining the JD(S) in a day or two.
Rajugouda embraced the JD(S) after he was denied the ticket by the Congress. So is the case with Belur. Namoshi wanted to contest from Gulbarga South on a BJP ticket. But the party favoured the candidature of Dattatreya Patil Revoor, forcing Namoshi to explore other options. Apart from MLAs and MLCs, several leaders who could stand a good chance of sailing through in the elections have also joined the JD(S).
While Parimala Nagappa has joined the party after former CM BS Yeddyurappa denied her a KJP ticket to contest from Hanur, Anand Appugol, who was denied ticket by the Congress, has also shook hands with the JD(S). Film producer and cooperative banker Appugol also wants to contest from Kittur in Belgaum district and is hoping to ride on the wave created by his film Krantiveer Sangolli Rayanna.The number of MLAs and leaders joining the JD(S) is likely to rise once the BJP and the Congress announce their final lists of candidates.
‘’Wait till the Congress releases its second and final list. Several ticket aspirants will join our party,’’ said a senior JD(S) leader on condition of anonymity.