JD(S) campaign rudderless as Kumaraswamy recuperates

The ex Karnataka CM has undergone a heart surgery that will delay his entry into the electoral battlefield.

Bengaluru: Dearth of leaders with a pan-Karnataka appeal is haunting the JD(S) as their party president H D Kumaraswamy has undergone a heart surgery that will delay his entry into the electoral battlefield.

While Kumaraswamy’s family has assured that he would return to Bengaluru from Chennai on March 25, it is expected to take some more time for him to join the poll campaign as it will completely depend on the doctors’ advice.

Sources close to Kumaraswamy said that he will be available for campaigns only after a week and he can hold indoor meetings after March 28. In that case, there will hardly be a month’s time for voting. 

One more week

“Kumaraswamy is likely to be discharged on Sunday and may return to Bengaluru from Chennai on March 25. Even then, he needs to be careful about his health at least for a week before taking part in poll campaigns,” said a senior leader of the party.

“In JD(S), we have very few leaders with star image. Not just for our party, even for BJP candidates, Kumaraswamy’s campaign at the ground level is needed in old Mysuru region,” said a senior leader from Mandya. 

Another senior leader from the party said that, even in Hassan, considered a JD(S) bastion, it is impossible to fight without Kumaraswamy being active in the field.

“Everyone knows, even BJP top leaders are aware that in Hassan, it is difficult to take local BJP leaders and workers into confidence as they are openly expressing displeasure against our candidate Prajwal Revanna. This situation can be handled only by Kumaraswamy,” the leader said. 

The situation is similar in Bangalore Rural, where there is a BJP candidate. Though the BJP is contesting from this constituency, it is more an issue of pride for Kumaraswamy as the candidate Dr C N Manjunath is his brother-in-law. 

“In this constituency also, only Kumaraswamy can make an impact,” a party worker from Bangalore Rural said.

Kolar candidate

With the BJP’s Lok Sabha poll incharge for the state Radha Mohan Das Agarwal  clearing the air by saying Hassan, Mandya and Kolar constituencies are given away to JD(S), the regional party’s ticket aspirants from Kolar have been waiting for Kumaraswamy to decide on the party candidate.

K A Thippeswamy, senior leader of JD(S) and core committee member, told DH that the candidates and party workers need not worry.

“We’re making a list of star campaigners, including former prime minister H D Deve Gowda and youth leader Nikhil Kumaraswamy,” he said, adding that Kumaraswamy was doing fine and that he would be actively involved in campaigns from next week.