BENGALURU: In a major political development ahead of the 2023 assembly polls in Karnataka, one of the Raitha Sangha factions has joined hands with JDS, and another is set to contest on the symbol of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).
The Kodihalli Chandrashekar faction, at its core committee meeting on Monday, took a decision to contest on the AAP ticket. AAP leader and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal will address the Raitha Sangha convention at the National College Grounds on April 21.
“It is not a sudden decision and we have held six such meetings during which the core committee members decided to go with AAP,” a member said. Raitha Sangha will retain its identity and not merge with AAP, he clarified.
Meanwhile, legendary Raitha Sangha leader late Prof B Nanjundaswamy’s son Pacche Nanjundaswamy has already been identified with the JDS. “Former chief minister H D Kumaraswamy has offered us 10 seats and we are happy. I will ensure the victory of these seats, and plan to contest the Lok Sabha polls in 2024,” Pacche told The New Indian Express.
Raitha Sangha leaders K T Gangadhar, Kuruburu Shanthakumar, Badagalapura Nagendra, Chukki Nanjundaswamy and others are likely to stay neutral and give issue-based support, a source said.