BENGALURU: After the Supreme Court verdict allowing disqualified MLAs to contest the December 5 bypolls, Karnataka is back in poll mode. On Wednesday, there was hectic political activity through the day in the ruling BJP camp, which is set to induct all 16 disqualified MLAs into the party on Thursday, while senior Congress leaders are meeting in Bengaluru to discuss the bypoll preparations.
While the Congress has already announced candidates for eight of the 15 assembly segments, the BJP is likely to announce its list on Thursday. With most of the disqualified MLAs likely to get tickets, party leaders who were hoping to contest are likely to turn rebels, or even join the Congress.
Sharath Bache Gowda, son of Chikkaballapura MP and senior BJP leader Bache Gowda, is filing his nomination as an Independent candidate from Hoskote. Senior BJP leader from Belagavi district Raju Kage is set to join the Congress on Thursday. He met Siddaramaiah recently and sealed the deal. Kage had contested against Shrimant Patil in 2018, and lost. Another BJP leader, Ashok Pujari, is demanding the ticket from Gokak, but party leaders are trying to convince him to give in, sources said.
Byrathi Basavaraju, who is hoping to get the ticket from KR Pura assembly segment in Bengaluru, said he has sufficient time for campaigning. "We did what we felt was right. We should not stay in a place where we don’t have respect. If we had thought we had made a mistake, we would have lost the fight on the very first day. We put our political careers at risk, but are not repenting. Now that the ordeal has ended, we are focusing on bypolls," he said.
Asked if three weeks was too short a time to campaign, Basavaraju said, "I have enough time, the people in my constituency know me. I was preparing for the election for two months. I will contest from the BJP and am confident of winning too."
While the Congress hopes to capitalise on discontent among local BJP leaders, the JDS will be looking to protect its base in Old Mysuru region. All three parties are likely to announce their candidates by Thursday or Friday, as November 18 is the last date for filing nominations.
While Congress leader Siddaramaiah has said that people will not vote for the disqualified legislators, Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa is confident of getting all 15 rebel MLAs re-elected, and also knows that every win is crucial for the stability of his government.