Express News Service
KALABURAGI: Filing of nomination papers by the candidates of both Janata Dal (S) and BSP in Gulbarga-South constituency on the last day of filing nomination papers, has put a question mark on the sanctity of alliance between Janata Dal (S) and BSP.
Janata Dal (S) candidate Basavaraj Diggavi and BSP candidate Suryakant Nimblakar filed nomination papers on Tuesday. District-unit president of JD(S) Basavaraj Tadkal accompanied Basavaraj Diggavin while filing nomination papers while former ZP member Gurushant Pattedar accompanied BSP candidate Suryakant Nimbalkar who is also district unit president of BSP, while filing nomination papers on Tuesday.
Janata Dal (S) and BSP forged an alliance at state level. In the alliance agreement, it was agreed to give Gulbarga- Rural (R) and Chittapur (R) constituencies to BSP and Janata Dal (S) has to contest in remaining seven constituencies.
Sudden Development
Everything was normal till Saturday noon but on Saturday evening, Kalaburagi district unit of BSP received a shock as Janata Dal (S) welcomed BJP senior leader and former minister Revu Naik Belamagi to the party and gave him B-Form to contest from Gulbarga- Rural (R) though the constituency was given to BSP in alliance. Kalaburagi district unit president of BSP, Suryakant Nimbalkar, started campaigning immediately after the alliance was formed and was ready to contest from BSP from Gulbarga-rural constituency.
Nimbalkar complained to BSP state unit and went to Bengaluru on Sunday morning. Nimbalkar told Express that the state unit leaders held discussions with JD(S) national president Deve Gowda on Sunday and Deve Gowda requested BSP leaders to alter the alliance and instead of Gulbarga-rural, it can choose another constituency of Kalaburagi district as BJP leader Revu Naik Belamagi has joined Janata Dal and his winning chances are more to Revu Naik in Gulbarga-rural. The matter was discussed with BSP supremo Mayawati and BSP decided to contest from Gulbarga-South instead of Gulbarga-rural and Deve Gowda has also given consent, Nimbalkar told Express. He added that Deve Gowda has promised that he would ask Basavaraj Diggavi to whom B-Form was given, not to file nomination as JD (S) candidate and if he has filed nomination, party would inform returning officer not to consider Diggavi as JD(S) candidate. Nimbalkar filed nomination papers as BSP candidate on Tuesday.
In the first list itself Janata Dal (S) announced Basavaraj Diggavi as its candidate from Gulbarga-South. Diggavi, who is head of a prestigious educational institution and philanthropist, commenced groundwork to contest in Gulbarga-South constituency one year back. Originally, he wanted to contest as BJP candidate and tried his level best but as BJP denied to give ticket, Diggavi decided to contest as independent. Considering the popularity of Diggavi who gave shelter to over 500 cattle as well as to farmers during the worst summer in Kalaburagi district in 2016, Janata Dal (S) state unit president Kumar Swami invited him to join Janata Dal two months back and announced him as the candidate of JD(S) from Gulbarga-South and from that day Diggavi, his followers and family members have been campaigning in the constituency. Diggavi was hopeful that he would win the elections.
Diggavi says he has not received any communication
Speaking with Express, Diggavi said that he has not received any communication from JD(S) supremo Deve Gowda or from state unit president H D Kumaraswamy asking him not to file nomination. It is a rumour, he said. Diggavi too filed his papers on Tuesday.
While some senior leaders of JD(S) say the party will break alliance in Gulbarga-South and candidates of both the parties will contest in the elections, some other leaders feel that JD(S) will hand over a formal letter to returning officer of Gulbarga-South stating that they have withdrawn B-Form given to Basavaraj Diggavi on the last day of withdrawing nomination papers, on Friday. In that case, Basavaraj Diggavi would remain in the field as independent candidate as he is firm about contesting in the elections.
