Watch: JD(S) MLA KM Shivalinge Gowda says those who shout pro-Modi slogans should be thrashed
JD(S) MLA KM Shivalinge Gowda sparked fury when he said that those who shout pro-Modi slogans should be thrashed. Speaking at a public rally in Hassan district of Karnataka, he said: "There are these people who shout Modi Modi. You must hit them."
JD(S) MLA KM Shivalinge Gowda sparked fury when he said that those who shout pro-Modi slogans should be thrashed. Speaking at a public rally in Hassan district of Karnataka, he said: "There are these people who shout Modi Modi. You must hit them."
Reacting, BJP Karnataka wrote: “Goonda JDS MLA K M Shivalingegowda urge his goons to pelt stones at PM @narendramodi when he visits Karnataka. Coalition partners are openly issuing threat to kill PM. Clear attempt to wipe out democracy & install dictatorship is made under @hd_kumaraswamy’s rule.”
The BJP is backing its regional satrap Yeddyurappa to bring home the votes in Karnataka, which with 28 seats, is a key battleground state. It’s also the only Southern state where the BJP has a major presence, with a stronghold in the coastal Karnataka.
The BJP won 17 out of the 28 seats in 2014 with JD(S) winning 2 and Congress getting 9. In the Karnataka 2018 Assembly Elections, the BJP managed 104 seats out of 224 but the Congress (80) handed over the CM’s post to JD(S) (34) to keep BJP out of power. Despite last-minute efforts and resort politics, Congress and JD(S) managed to hold their folk together which meant that despite being the single-largest party, the party failed to get power.
Meanwhile, in the bypolls the Cong-JD(S) alliance managed to get two out of the three seats with BJP only retaining Shivamogga.
Union Ministers D V Sadananda Gowda from Bangalore North, Ramesh Jigajinagi from Bijapur and Ananth Kumar Hegde from Uttara Kannada, as also B Y Raghavendra, son of former chief minister B S Yeddyurappa from Shimoga, have been renominated.
Other candidates whose names have been announced by the party are, Suresh Angadi (Belgaum), P C Gaddigoudar (Bagalkot), Bhagawanth Kuba (Bidar), Shivkumar Udasi (Haveri), Prahlad Joshi (Dharwad) and Siddeshwara (Davangere); Shobha Karandlaje (Udupi-Ckikmagalur), Nalin Kumar Kateel (Dakshina Kannada), Narayana Swamy (Chitradurga), Basavaraju (Tumkur);
Prathap Simha (Mysore), Srinivasa Prasad (Chamarajanagar), PC Mohan (Bangalore central) and Bachche Gowda (Chikkaballapur).
Anantkumar Hegde – the five time MP from Uttara Kannada – who is known for his highly coloured remarks about the Gandhi family is also back.
Congress and JD(S) haven’t announced their candidates yet. While the Congress will contest 20 seats, JD(S) will contest in 8. Both parties, despite putting up brave faces, are worried about the transfer of votes from one support base to another.
JD(S) will need Congress support in particular in the 8 seats they are contesting given that BJP hold 5 of the seats and Congress 1.
Mandya is a high-stake battle with Kumaraswamy’s son Nikhil contesting from there. On the other hand, Congress will need JD(S) votes to come through in regions like Mysore, Chikkaballapura and Bangalore Rural.
Pundits are already stating that the alliance of compulsion might run into turbulence particularly in the old Mysuru region where the JD(S) and Congress have been in loggerhead. Former CM Siddaramaiah had insisted on holding on to his home district Mysore and former PM HD Gowda finally relented. But the move is likely to cause disenchantment among the JD(S) faithful. Mysore is and currently held by BJP’s Pratap Simha and has been a saffron stronghold since 1998.