The Hindu : Janata Dal (S) planning to take on Shankar, Srikantappa

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Mar 23, 2004

Karnataka

Karnataka - Others

Janata Dal (S) planning to take on Shankar, Srikantappa

By Muralidhara Khajane

CHIKMAGALUR, MARCH 22. The Janata Dal (Secular) is playing its cards close to its chest on nominating its candidate in the Chikmagalur Lok Sabha Constituency. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress have announced their candidates in the constituency which was once a Congress citadel.

While the Congress nominated the former Chairman of Legislative Council, B.L. Shankar, who joined the party recently, the BJP candidate is D.C. Srikantappa, who had been representing the constituency since 1998.

According to sources in the BJP, D.K. Taaradevi Siddartha, who aspired for party nomination in the constituency, is much disappointed over the selection of Mr. Srikantappa. However, this will in no way affect the chances of Mr. Srikantappa, they say.

It is said that Mr. Srikantappa's ability to win tilted the scales in his favour.

But sources in the Congress say that it will not be a cakewalk for Mr. Srikantappa this time, as Mr. Shankar won in the constituency in 1996 by defeating Ms. Siddartha who was then in the Congress. He has more advantages than what D.M. Putte Gowda had when the latter contested in the constituency in the previous election. As Mr. Srikantappa defeated Mr. Putte Gowda by a low margin, it is not difficult for Mr. Shankar to win.

Party sources say fielding of weak candidates in the Kadur and Birur Assembly constituencies was the reason for the defeat of Mr. Putte Gowda. According to them, care will be taken to plug such deficiencies now. Mr. Shankar can take credit for mooting the Kadur-Chikmagalur railway line, when H.D. Deve Gowda was the Prime Minister. Even before the announcement of his candidature, he had started working out his election strategies. He had spoken to his colleagues in the Congress and other parties, and held several rounds of discussion with the Congress workers in the constituency and prepared them to struggle for his victory. Though there is a little discontentment among those who aspired for nomination, it is not potential enough to damage the prospects of Mr. Shankar, the sources add.

Sources in the BJP say that the "integrity'' of Mr. Srikantappa will be one of his strengths. He had spent the MPs Local Area Development Fund judiciously. People are satisfied with his commitment to the constituency and accessibility. Party sources say the "Vajpayee wave", which is blowing across the country, will help Mr. Srikantappa. The recent visit of the Deputy Prime Minister, L.K. Advani, during his Bharatha Udaya Yatra would also further his prospects.

A senior party leader said on condition of anonymity that the nomination of Mr. Srikantappa was expected and the workers were jubilant over the choice of the party leaders. Though Ms. Siddhartha was a strong candidate, the winning chances of Mr. Srikantappa were more. The strength of the party organisation in the Malnad region and his caste would be helpful to Mr. Srikantappa.

Though the leaders such as Mukthiyar Ahmad and Viswanath are seeking the Janata Dal (Secular) nomination, the party sources say that the party is planning to field a candidate with potential to fight Mr. Srikantappa and Mr. Shankar. As realignment of political forces is still on, the party is hoping to field a candidate from prominent community.

However, sources in the Congress and the BJP say that it is a fight between the Congress and the BJP, and the Janata Dal (S) is nowhere in the picture.

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