BENGALURU: Janata Dal-Secular is eager to welcome to its fold dissidents and those who miss tickets in their parties, especially Congress. The thinking is that the move will allow the regional party to win more seats and turn it again into a kingmaker if the 2023 Assembly polls throw up a fractured mandate. JDS state president CM Ibrahim on Monday extended an open invitation to sulking former minister and BJP leader Ramesh Jarkiholi.
The party is also eyeing leaders like former Gangavathi MLA Iqbal Ansari and former minister TB Jayachandra. Ansari, who set a record of sorts by enrolling over 97,000 members to Congress, seems to be disillusioned with the Grand Old Party and is in touch with Ibrahim, sources said.
Jayachandra, who lost back-to-back polls including the bypoll in Sira, is said to be in contact with JDS supremo HD Deve Gowda. He is facing a revolt from within Congress at his constituency as Sasalu Sathish, a backward Kadu Golla community youth leader, has started campaigning already in the constituency.
“Jayachandra, who is on good terms with AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge, may get the party ticket. But if he fails to, he could jump to JDS. Even Sasalu could join JDS if he does not get the Congress ticket.
For many leaders, JDS would be the option if they are ignored by Congress as they will get minority votes,” a leader said.But Jayachandra, while talking to TNIE, categorically denied that he would join JDS. “When I missed the party ticket in 1989, I did not quit the party. Instead, I contested as an independent and won,” he added.
Meanwhile, JDS senior leader HD Kumaraswamy began a three-day brainstorming session for JDS legislators and party ticket from Monday hopefuls to boost their morale.