‘Seat sharing will prove beneficial to BJP’

The Congress ceding Udupi-Chikmagalur constituency to coalition partner JD(S) has raised many eye brows outside Congress as well.

District BJP unit president Mattar Ratnakar Hegde told DH that party was expected to come up with the list of candidates by Monday as the Parliamentary Board was working in Bengaluru to list out the names of the candidates for the state. The list would be sent to the BJP National President Amit Shah.

He declined to comment on the probabilities of the incumbent Shobha Karandlaje being retained. “It is up to the party’s Parliamentary Board to decide over the candidate. The party is all geared up for the poll and strategies have been worked out to strengthen the party at the grassroots level.”

The party workers have already begun door-to-door approach and are well prepared whoever the candidate is. There is no doubt over the victory of the party in the constituency, he added.

He also said that he was ignorant over the aspirations of former minister Jayaprakash Hegde and added that all have to abide by the decision taken up by the party high command.

Hegde said that the seat sharing idea between the coalition partners—Congress and JD(S) will prove beneficial for BJP as the differences and the anger that has erupted among the Congress workers will end up in the defeat of the coalition candidate in the constituency.

He said that it was already proved that JD(S) has no existence in this area, which will ensure victory of BJP.

On the other hand, Jayprakash Hegde said that he was still with BJP and there is no need for unnecessary speculations over his future in the party.

“I am hopeful that something better would come up.”