BJP’s new poll tantra: Field top leaders in difficult seats
BENGALURU: BJP national president Amit Shah’s strategy to field party state president B S Yeddyurappa from a suitable constituency in north Karnataka is said to be just a trailer. More leaders are expected to be part of the larger strategy that would be unveiled in the coming days. The decision to move Yeddyurappa out of his pocketborough Shikaripur to extract maximum gains in north Karnataka has already created a buzz with other parties too debating the move.
According to sources, Shah is said to be keen to draw the best out of the top leaders of the party in the state with plans to get former CM Jagadish Shettar, former ministers R Ashok, K S Eshwarappa and C T Ravi contest from regions where the party is facing a tough challenge. The rationale is that these leaders could ensure victory for the party in their present constituencies for suitable new candidates. Explaining the logic, a former BJP minister said, “Our strategists feel BJP could do better in Mandya, where the party is yet to make its presence felt by fielding a strong Vokkaliga leader like R Ashok or may be C T Ravi. Active campaigning by veteran leader S M Krishna could further tilt the poll battle in the region.
Leaders like Shettar and Ashok have the potential to help the party gain in places considered tough for the party.” It would not be difficult for the party and these leaders to ensure victory of the new candidates, who would be identified with their nod, in their present constituencies, he added. However, Leader of the opposition in Assembly Shettar told Express that he was unaware of any such plans, saying, “it was not discussed in the party forum”.