MYSURU: With the alleged sex scandal involving Hassan MP Prajwal Revanna flaring up, the issue is likely to have an impact on the BJP-JDS alliance for the biennial elections to the Karnataka Legislative Council for six seats to be held on June 3.
The two parties are facing the ongoing Lok Sabha election together.
Even though the JDS and BJP have claimed that the alliance would continue for the Council, ZP/TP, and Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) elections, the sex scandal has made the saffron party leaders rethink the tie-up with the regional party, according to sources. “The issue is in constant media glare, and the public opinion is also against Prajwal. A few BJP leaders want the top brass to rethink the alliance,” said a source. This comes even as the BJP’s top leadership is trying to portray that all is well in the alliance.
Meanwhile, Congress leaders are using the sex scandal to target the BJP and even Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra have directly targeted PM Modi for campaigning for Prajwal ahead of the second phase of the Lok Sabha polls. Rahul even called Prajwal a “mass rapist” and flayed Modi for his silence on the issue. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah even accused the Centre of helping Prajwal flee the country.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah, however, turned the tables on the Congress, maintaining that Prajwal was elected to the Lok Sabha in 2019 when the JDS was in an alliance with the Grand Old Party. Union Minister Pralhad Joshi pressed for the arrest of Prajwal.
However, the scandal is almost certain to affect the JDS-BJP alliance, and its impact is likely to be felt within the next few days as the saffron party is set to take an important decision regarding the alliance for the Council polls, say insiders.
Informed sources revealed that most of the BJP state leaders are upset with the sex scandal and are not so keen on continuing the alliance. A section of the BJP leaders maintained that they accepted the alliance for the Lok Sabha Polls after the high command forced it on them so that the party repeats the 2019 performance in Karnataka.
BJP insiders pleading anonymity feel that it should not be a surprise if the party top brass says “enough is enough” and ends the alliance or will quietly contest the Council polls alone to minimise the damage the sex scandal has caused to the party.
“Top brass stitched the alliance without taking into consideration our opinion. Now it is up to them to take a call so that the party will not be targeted by the Congress and I.N.D.I.A bloc in the remaining four phases of Lok Sabha polls or in the ensuing Council elections,” said a prominent BJP leader, adding that the party is being targeted and questioned for a “crime” not committed by its leaders.