Daijiworld Media Network – Bangalore (SP)

Bangalore, Dec 10: The declaration made by former minister and newly elected MLA, Sriramulu that his topmost aim now is to defeat state Chief Minister (CM), D V Sadananda Gowda (DVS), in the council poll scheduled to be held later this month, has sent jitters down the spines of BJP leaders. Sriramulu has added to their worries by announcing that 22 BJP legislators are in contact with him, and that he would talk to Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee president, G Parameshwar, and JDS president, H D Kumaraswamy, in an effort to field a consensus candidate against the CM.

The CM, who is an MP from Udupi-Chikmagalur constituency, is facing the compulsion to get elected to the state legislature within six months. It has been nearly three months since he took over the reins of the state. BJP MLC, Shankarappa, who was elected to the legislative council from the state assembly constituency, had resigned to pave way for Gowda’s entry into the legislature, on October 14. The Election Commission’s decision to postpone the election from December 12 to 22 has created problems, as the newly elected MLA, Sriramulu, is threatening to throw a spanner in the CM’s plans.

There are rumours that the Yeddyurappa faction in the BJP does not want DVS to be nominated for the election, as it fears that this will pave way for the continuation of the present CM, to the detriment of chances of Yeddurappa, who is nursing the ambition to become CM again soon. This faction has been spreading the information that Sriramulu and Kumaraswamy have joined hands to defeat JDS. DVS, who was chosen to the post by his predecessor, Yeddyurappa, is confident of winning the election. But he is frustrated over the sudden turn of events, and has exhibited his disinterestedness to file his nomination papers, sources said. DVS has fallen from Yeddy’s grace because of the latter’s restlessness to occupy his chair at the earliest, it is believed.

Sensing the above ploy of the legislators loyal to Yeddyurappa, state BJP president, Eshwarappa, has stuck to the stand that DVS has to be fielded as the party candidate for the coming election. The former CM has been speaking to legislators individually in private, in an effort to win over their confidence. It transpired that a minister loyal to Yeddyurappa called up party’s parliamentary secretary, asking him not to sign the nomination paper of DVS, when preparations were going on to file his nomination. At least ten legislators have to nominate a person for a nomination to become valid. Because of Eshwarappa’s insistence, DVS may file his nomination papers on Monday, if not on Saturday as previously scheduled.

Sriramulu says that the government will crumble on its own, once DVS gets defeated in the election. It is not clear as to whether he is really serious, or it is a ploy at discouraging D V Sadananda Gowda from contesting the coming bypoll for the vacant legislative council seat.