The JD(S) is working on a ‘master plan’ to defeat Congress leader Siddaramaiah from the Kolar constituency in the Assembly elections.
JD(S) legislature party leader H D Kumaraswamy has decided to seek the help of Dr B R Ambedkar’s grandson Prakash Ambedkar, in order to consolidate Dalit voters, who form a sizeable chunk in the constituency.
According to JD(S) sources, Kumaraswamy will convene a meeting with leaders from Kolar soon.
“Kumaraswamy will take a break from the Pancharathna yatre to meet leaders from Kolar and discuss strategy,” a party source said.
A senior JD(S) leader said the party wants to rope in Prakash to woo the Ahinda voters - minorities, backward classes and Dalits. Kumaraswamy, along with JD(S) supremo H D Deve Gowda, met Prakash recently.
On January 14-15, Kumaraswamy will convene a meeting with JD(S) leaders and workers from Kolar, Chikkaballapur and Bengaluru Rural districts.
The agenda of the meeting is to figure out ways to minimise Siddaramaiah’s influence. The JD(S) has already announced C M R Srinath, a Vokkaliga, as its Kolar candidate.
There was speculation that the party would change the candidate with Siddaramaiah in the fray. “We have a good candidate and there’s no question of changing,” JD(S) MLC and core committee convenor K A Thippeswamy said. Thippeswamy said JD(S) state president C M Ibrahim, the party’s Muslim face, will work more in Kolar going forward.
“While Siddaramaiah’s entry has made things more challenging, we’re confident of winning,” Thippeswamy said.
Meanwhile, Ibrahim told reporters that Siddaramaiah should go to Varuna, saying that the Ahinda plan will not work in Kolar.
“SCs (left) will not support Siddaramaiah, while Kuruba votes will get divided. The Brahmins and Shettys (Vaishyas) will go with BJP. It’s best for Siddaramaiah to contest from Varuna,” he said. “Kolar became Congress-free the moment K H Muniyappa lost (in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls). It’ll happen again now.” Ibrahim said JD(S) candidate Srinath has a good rapport with Muslims. “Vokkaligas and Muslim votes are sizeable in Kolar. There’s a tilt towards JD(S),” he said.
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