Parameshwara jittery as JD(S) makes inroads into his backyard

 The surge of JD(S) in the Koratagere constituency in Tumkur district appears to have given jitters to KPCC president G Parameshwara.

Parameshwara has been camping in his home constituency of Koratagere since he returned from a week-long stay in Delhi to finalise the party candidates for the coming Assembly elections.

He, it is learnt, has already launched his campaign and started touring the nook and corner of the constituency in the last two days.

He campaigned in Holavanahalli hobli and surrounding areas on Tuesday and Wednesday. The State Congress chief, according to sources, does not want to take any chance in the coming polls in the wake of the  growing JD(S) strength in Koratagere.

So much so that he did not even attend the party’s crucial election campaign committee meeting held at KPCC office in Bangalore on Wednesday. The committee had met to chalk out a plan for the party’s campaign for the polls.

Moreover, though protests over the distribution of party tickets have rocked the party’s main office in the last few days, Parameshwara has not turned up at the office to pacify the aggrieved leaders and workers. Protests were held even on Wednesday. On the other hand, Congress legislature party leader Siddaramaiah is indisposed.

KPCC office staff, however, defended Parameshwara’s absence saying that his presence will only aggravate the issue and hence, he is keeping away from coming to the office. He will arrive once the party high command releases the list of candidates.

JD(S)’ strength


The JD(S) has been growing in strength in the last few years in Koratagere. Of the 14 seats in Koratagere Town Panchayat, the elections for which were held recently, the Congress and JD(S) won five seats each, the BJP two and independents two. The JD(S) had done better in the zilla and taluk panchayat elections held two years ago. Of the total four ZP seats in Korategere, the JD(S) had won three and the Congress one; and of the total 15 seats in taluk panchayat, the JD(S) had bagged 11 seats.
Results of these elections, sources said, have been the reasons for Parameshwara’s
worries.

For, they indicate that the Congress is weak in both the rural and the urban areas and the JD(S) is emerging stronger. The JD(S) is planning to field Sudhakar Lal in Koratagere, sources added.