HASSAN: Wrinkles are showing in the BJP-JDS alliance. In JDS stronghold Hassan, party leaders are upset after BJP leaders declared their opposition to Prajwal Revanna as the alliance candidate, and said they would support any other candidate. JDS leaders are also disturbed by the often contradictory statements of BJP leaders over the candidature of Prajwal, grandson of JDS supremo HD Deve Gowda, from Hassan.
Senior BJP leaders, including former MLA and state general secretary Preetam J Gowda, Sakleshpur MLA Cement Manju, former MLA AT Ramaswamy, district BJP president Siddesh Nagendra, former BJP district president Yogaramesh and senior BJP leaders from various taluks recently met in a private hotel where they strongly opposed Gowda’s alleged unilateral decision on the alliance candidate.
However, JDS leaders are in a dilemma following humiliating statements by BJP leaders. Sources said that Union Minister Amit Shah has reportedly asked HD Kumaraswamy to change the candidate for Hassan, as intelligence reports are going against Prajwal.
It may be recalled that Gowda had declared Prajwal as the alliance candidate, without taking BJP leaders into confidence. BJP workers are upset with Gowda for breaching ethics, when both parties had decided to file a common candidate.
A section of BJP leaders is saying it will not support Prajwal as the JDS has started its poll campaign with a picture of PM Narendra Modi and Deve Gowda on their vehicles, without consulting BJP leaders. They said JDS leaders and Prajwal had not met any BJP leaders, except Belur MLA HK Suresh, seeking their support. One BJP leader, on condition of anonymity, said no JDS leader was ready to take BJP leaders into confidence, though the parties had decided to fight the election unitedly.