Kumaraswamy has grand plans, but Siddu refuses to blink

Former chief minister HD Kumaraswamy was at the doors of former minister M Mahadevu in Nanjangud on Friday. His grand plans to restore the lost glory of the Janata Dal(Secular) has been bolstered with former chief minister S Bangarappa’s entry into his party.

Kumaraswamy’s mission proved a success in Nanjangud too as Mahadevu, a close associate of leader of the opposition Siddaramaiah, responded favourably to the JD(S) state president’s plea to shift his loyalty from the Congress to JD(S).
The Dal’s strategy to strike a strong blow at chief minister BS Yeddyurappa in the forthcoming panchayat polls in his own backyard, Shimoga is showing good results with Bangarappa’s induction. Several disgruntled BJP leaders in the district too are in the line to follow suit.

However, Bangarappa is just one part of the strategy to woo prominent backward communities in the state. The former chief minister may be more than helpful in helping the party spread base among the Idigas. But the larger plan of getting leader of the opposition Siddaramaiah on board is facing glitches.

Driven with the aim of coming to power in the state in the next assembly elections and registering at least a double digit presence in the next Lok Sabha, the entire Gowda clan is on the mission — ‘Get Siddaramaiah back in the party’.
Senior JD(S) leader HD Revanna is repeatedly claiming that Siddaramaiah was inclined to cross over to the Dal, but the latter has been vehement in his denial.

Former Congress MLA BR Patil, a committed Siddaramaiah camp follower, said, “There is indeed a vacuum in the JD(S). But Siddaramaiah is not ready to fill that. Nobody can believe Gowda and the Congress is any day better than JD(S). Though JD(S) leaders have been trying to lure MP Prakash, BL Shankar, GT Deve Gowda, Siddaramaiah and several other Janata Parivar leaders back into JD(S), not many are interested.’
According to sources, the JD(S) has made significant progress in wooing senior Congress leader CM Ibrahim. Assured of a good Vokkaliga support base, the JD(S) is trying hard to use Ibrahim’s articulation skills to woo Siddaramaiah, a move that could prove decisive in improving the fortunes of the party as the Congress leader has emerged as the undisputed leader of the Kuruba community.

However, the strategy has run into rough weather with Siddaramaiah’s close confidants HC Mahadevappa, Mahadev Prasad, VS Ugrappa and others strongly opposing their leader’s return to the JD(S).

“The JD(S) should declare Siddaramaiah as its chief ministerial candidate if it is really honest in its intentions. Siddaramaiah will not even consider Kumaraswamy’s request unless the JD(S) makes this announcement,” said a senior Congress leader in Siddaramaiah’s camp.

“The condition from Siddaramaiah’s camp is proving too big a hurdle for the JD(S) to realise its grand plans. But Kumaraswamy is still hopeful,” said sources in the JD(S).