BENGALURU: A year after dissidence rocked Karnataka, and power changed hands, ‘rebel leader’ Adagur H Vishwanath is upset that the BJP has failed to honour its word. He hasn’t openly expressed his frustration at being left out of the MLC list, though.
“I have increased BJP’s vote share in Hunsur from just 3,000-4,000 votes to 57,000 votes. Is it not a contribution to the party,’’ he asks indignantly. Insiders said it was similar indignation that caused him to leave the JDS, after he was made to wait for about an hour-and-a-half for then CM HD Kumaraswamy, at the Taj West End.
He had apparently asked Kumaraswamy how the common man could meet him in a five-star hotel, and that he should be at Vidhana Soudha. Soon after, he exited the JDS. He now seems to be at a similar crossroads.
Both MTB Nagaraj and H Vishwanath are Kuruba (backward) leaders who had held important positions in the previous government – Nagaraj was minister, while Vishwanath was party president of JDS, which was then in power. Both contested elections and were defeated.
While Nagaraj was made MLC, Vishwanath was ignored. Many of his supporters point to “unseen forces’ seeking to scuttle his chances, but Vishwanath is optimistic that Yediyurappa will keep his word. He is still struggling to get himself on the MLC nomination list. Insiders said that Vishwanath is slated to meet CM B S Yediyurappa next week, as the BJP prepares to finalise the list of MLCs.