With both - the BJP and the Congress vying with each other to welcome them into their fold, the breakaway faction of the JD(S) led by M P Prakash on Thursday tactfully deferred taking any decision on joining either parties.
Prakash’s game plan is simple: Buy more time, negotiate with both parties and clinch a good deal. Prakash, however, cited planetary changes as reasons for deferring the decision. “We are not in a hurry to decide on the party, we will join. Majority of leaders opine that Dhanur Masa (December 18- January 14) is not fit for such important decisions. We have decided to wait till Sankranti (from January 15),” Prakash told reporters after a meeting of his supporters.
No assurance
According to sources, though both the BJP and Congress have invited the breakaway faction, they have not given any assurance on giving tickets to contest in the coming elections. And, by keeping options open for some time more, Prakash intends to get the assurance from either of them.
So was the reason Prakash was careful in his comments, especially on BJP’s Bellary Reddy brothers’ opposition. “Their (Reddy brothers) reaction is quite natural. There is no reason why we should be upset about it,” he stated.
Sources also said that Prakash, personally, is in favour of embracing the Congress. His plan has been endorsed by many of his followers including H S Mahadev Prasad, Suryanarayana Reddy, Sharanabasappa Dharshanapur and others. He also knows full well that he cannot survive in the BJP, especially in Bellary against the wishes of Reddy brothers, sources added. But he doesn’t want to disclose it.
Saffron party
“If he announces that he is willing to join the Congress, he will be eliminating the BJP option. As many of his followers are toying with the idea of joining the saffron party, he wants to keep it open. And, he wants to accommodate them in the BJP, if they insist on joining it,” sources said.
In fact, Prakash is learnt to have given an hint in this regard to this followers at the meeting by saying he would not impose his decision on others and would allow them go their own way. “If, in case, nothing works out in our favour, we can always join the JD(U),” sources quoted Prakash as having said in the meeting.
Another reason that forced the group to put off the final decision on their next political move, was the speculations on whether the ensuing Assembly elections will be held as per the recommendations of the Constituency Delimitation Commission headed by Kuldip Singh.
“In the event of the Centre notifying the recommendations, elections are likely to be delayed as there will be major changes in political scene in the State,” Prakash said.
MOILY ON PRAKASH
“Mr Oscar Fernandes and I are in constant touch with Mr MP Prakash, the JD(S) leader. He is a secular person. It’s for the Congress High Command to take a decision on his candidature in the Congress party,” said former chief minister Veerappa Moily when asked to comment on Prakash’s possible entry into his party.
On a question on Maharashtra Governor S M Krishna, as a possible chief minister candidate, the former CM said, he is a governor a not a party man. “We have not decided on the chief minister candidate. To us Party comes first and we want it to win in Karnataka,” he replied.
