Amit Shah to nix rebel trouble, sound poll bugle in Karnataka on April 2

Union Home Minister Amit Shah, the BJP’s chief poll strategist, will kick off the party’s campaign in Karnataka on April 2, while also personally ironing out differences in four key Lok Sabha segments where there is rebellion.

Shah is scheduled to hold a roadshow at Channapatna in the Bangalore Rural Lok Sabha segment where Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar’s brother D K Suresh is seeking re-election against the BJP’s Dr C N Manjunath.

The BJP wants to weaponise Suresh’s recent statement on a separate nationhood for South India over disparity in devolution of taxes. 

“This election is to choose between those who want to divide the country and those who unite the nation,” BJP election management committee convenor V Sunil Kumar said.

“D K Suresh spoke about breaking and dividing the country. Congress’ mindset is to break the nation, ours is to unite. To send this message across, Shah is starting the election campaign from Channapatna,” Kumar said.

Crisis meet

On April 2, Shah is slated to hold separate meetings with top BJP leaders from Chikkaballapur, Tumkur, Chitradurga and Davangere, the four seats where there is opposition to the party’s choice of candidate.

Yelahanka BJP MLA S R Vishwanath is unhappy with Dr K Sudhakar’s nomination in Chikkaballapur. “We’ll ask votes for Modi, not Sudhakar. But people also see the candidate. So, if something happens, then we shouldn’t be held responsible,” Vishwanath said earlier this week.

In Tumkur, embers are still red hot over senior leader V Somanna getting the ticket.

At Chitradurga, a section of party workers doesn’t want former deputy chief minister Govind Karjol as the candidate.

Holalkere BJP MLA M Chandrappa has threatened to rebel if his son is not considered. In Davangere, there is still resistance towards sitting BJP MP G M Siddeshwar’s wife Gayatri becoming the candidate.

Breakfast

At 9 am on April 2, Shah will hold a breakfast meeting involving top BJP and JD(S) leaders. This is being seen as a move by the BJP to plug any trust gaps with JD(S), its alliance partner.

Then, Shah will address Shakti Kendra (a collective of 3-5 booths) workers from Bangalore North, Bangalore Central, Bangalore South, Bangalore Rural and Chikkaballapur segments at 11 am in Palace Grounds.

Between 2 pm and 5 pm, the home minister will take stock of rebellion in the four seats. At 6 pm, he will head to Channapatna for the roadshow.