BENGALURU: Irrespective of which way the Supreme Court’s judgment goes on Wednesday, all three parties have made ‘’alternative’’ plans if the ruling is not in their favour. Each party, though, appears confident that it will be to its advantage. The judgment will decide the fate of 17 disqualified MLAs as well as Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa and his government.
At present, the BJP has 106 members, including the support of one Independent MLA in the existing 207-member Assembly (excluding the 17 disqualified MLAs). The party needs to win at least seven seats, to get a simple majority in the 224-member Assembly. The bypolls are crucial to the BJP to retain power, even as it faces resistance from within to accommodate MLAs who were ‘’disqualified’’.
“We cannot say no to them, they gave us a chance to form the government. We are hoping that their disqualification is nullified, and they are allowed to contest the bypolls,’’ BJP sources said. The BJP has a Plan B ready. “In case the judgment is not favourable, and the rebels are not allowed to contest, an alternative list of candidates is ready,’’ sources said. The BJP has called a core committee meeting on Wednesday to discuss the fallout of the ruling.
Camp politics in Congress
In the Congress too, a tussle is on between the Siddaramaiah and DK Shivakumar camps. While Shivakumar is in favour of taking JDS support, Siddaramaiah is not ready to walk that path again. The Congress, which lost 14 MLAs, is looking at the bypolls as a chance defeat the rebels, who could contest as BJP candidates.
KPCC President Dinesh Gundurao told TNIE that he would be reaching Bengaluru on Wednesday afternoon. “We have already announced the candidates’ name for eight assembly constituencies and will announce the remaining seven tomorrow. There is no confusion in our party. We are just focusing on victory,’’ he added.
While the JDS lost only three MLAs to the June defections, what hit them was the loss of power. But resistance continues within the party, with another set of MLAs ready to leave, claiming to be upset with former CM HD Kumaraswamy, and the Deve Gowda family controlling the party. JDS supremo Deve Gowda, though, is trying to convince them to stay. The party will field candidates in all 15 constituencies, with Gowda said to be focusing on five, including its strongholds of Mahalakshmi Layout, Hunsur and KR Pet.