MYSURU: In a strategic political move, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah appears to be orchestrating a significant shift in Chamarajanagar MP Srinivas Prasad's political allegiance towards the Congress party.
This shift, characterized by several loyalists and family members of Srinivas Prasad abandoning the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to join Congress, is seen as a crucial development in the run-up to the Lok Sabha elections.
Dubbed "Operation Hasta" unofficially, this maneuver by the Congress aims to bring back Srinivas Prasad's loyalists and family members into the party fold, bolstering its voter base.
The move comes as Congress leaders, including Minister Dr H C Mahadevappa and his son Sunil Bose, gear up to contest from Chamarajanagar constituency, alongside M Lakshman in the Mysuru-Kodagu Lok Sabha constituency.
Despite Srinivas Prasad's assertions of maintaining amicable relations with leaders from all political parties over his five decades-long political career and denying speculations of rejoining Congress, rumours abound about his potential endorsement of Congress candidates ahead of the Chamarajanagar polls, which could wield substantial influence.
While Srinivas Prasad himself has distanced himself from the BJP and announced electoral retirement, his associates and family members within the BJP are making moves to switch sides to Congress, foreseeing future political shifts.
The denial of a ticket to Dr Mohan, Srinivas Prasad's son-in-law, for the Chamarajanagar Lok Sabha constituency by the BJP led him to explore options with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah for a Congress ticket. However, the commitment to field Mahadevappa's son Sunil Bose, who has faced ticket denials in previous elections, led to Mohan's exclusion from the list.
However, it is said that Siddaramaiah has told Mohan to have a good involvement in party activities which can strengthen Congress's electoral prospects.
Moreover, Srinivas Prasad's another son-in-law, Dheeraj, formerly the vice president of BJP Yuva Morcha, recently joined Congress in the presence of D K Shivakumar, signalling a broader trend of defections from Prasad's circles to Congress.
Dr B J Vijaykumar, President of the Mysuru District Congress Committee, confirmed that many of Srinivas Prasad's loyalists, including his brother and members of Swabhimani Srinivas Prasad Balaga, are set to join Congress in an upcoming event on April 2.
This move is anticipated to significantly impact the electoral outcomes in both Chamarajanagar and Mysuru Lok Sabha constituencies, leveraging Srinivas Prasad's influence as a popular Dalit leader to garner substantial Dalit votes for Congress.