JD(S), Cong to go alone in byelections

According to sources the demand of the JD(S) to leave two seats - Ramanagar and Channapatna for it, was rejected by the Congress. The Congress was ready to part with Ramanagar only. Out of the five constituencies going for bypolls, the Congress had won in four and JD(S) in one, in the May 2008 Assembly polls.

It is said that the JD(S) supremo H D Deve Gowda had insisted for a berth in the Union Ministry for his son H D Kumaraswamy as a pre-condition to leave four seats for the Congress. This demand too is said to have been rejected by the Congress.

When contacted, Kumaraswamy said that there was no question of break of any talks as nothing of that kind happened. “Neither the Congress approached us nor we went to meet them,” he stated.

Except Ramanagar, the party has almost decided on its candidates to all the seats. It is likely to field Balaraj from Kollegal, Ashwatha from Channapatna, Range Gowda from Govindarajanagar and Gurunath from Chittapur. For Ramanagar, the party may field a local candidate, either Raju or Marilinge Gowda, though the name of Deve Gowda’s daughter Anasuya is also doing the rounds.

The party will officially announce its candidates on July 27.