Leaders from other parties continued to join the JD(S) on Saturday. The party has given some of them a chance to contest the elections.
On Saturday, the party announced Dr Bharathi Shankar, former BJP legislator from T Narasipur, as its candidate for Varuna, where former chief minister Siddaramaiah and Minister V Somanna are the Congress and BJP candidates, respectively. Bharathi Shankar had won from T Narasipur in 1999.
It is said that the strategy of the regional party is to split the Dalit votes by fielding Bharathi Shankar, who belongs to the SC community. The Varuna segment has around 45,000 votes belonging to the community.
However, denying that this was a strategic move, JD(S) legislature party leader H D Kumaraswamy said he was forced to change the candidate as the one announced in the first list was not active in the constituency.
Meanwhile, Raghu Achar, who joined JD(S) on Friday, is contesting from Chitradurga.
Former minister A B Malakareddy, who was denied ticket by the Congress, joined JD(S) and is contesting from Bidar.
Another ex-Congress leader Devaraj Patil will contest from Bagalkot on a JD(S) ticket. JD(S) on Saturday also inducted N R Santosh, who is hoping for a ticket from Arasikere. Santosh is the grand-nephew of former chief minister B S Yediyurappa.
Kumaraswamy said that his brother, former minister H D Revanna, was in talks with the party workers in Arasikere and would soon announce Santosh as a candidate.
Published 15 April 2023, 16:38 IST