Karnataka - Hassan   

Which party is Gurudeva in?

HASSAN: When Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) State president D.V. Sadananda Gowda was addressing presspersons here on Thursday, he was taken by surprise at the questions raised with regard to B.R. Gurudeva, Janata Dal (Secular) MLC, who had accompanied him to the meet.

A journalist asked him what action the BJP would take if party MLC Shoba Karandlaje participated in a Congress meeting. An embarrassed Mr. Gowda said he would not answer such questions. Then the journalist wanted to know why the Janata Dal (S) MLC was sitting by Mr. Gowda’s side.

Mr. Gurudeva was a Congress MLA in 1989. In 1999, the party fielded Mr. Gurudeva from Sakleshpur against B.B. Shivappa of the BJP. Mr. Shivappa defeated Mr. Gurudeva. In 2004, the Congress did not give Mr. Gurudeva party ticket, and instead fielded Mr. Shivappa, who had by then crossed over to the party.

The Janata Dal (S) had fielded H.M. Viswanath from Sakleshpur in the 2004 polls. The former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda then met Mr. Gurudeva and brought him into the JD(S) and asked him to work for Mr. Viswanath, promising him nomination as MLC. Mr. Gurudeva is a prominent Veerashaiva community leader and worked with Mr. Viswanath to garner the votes of the Veerashaivas and the Vokkaligas. Mr. Viswanath defeated Mr. Shivappa in the election. As promised,

Mr. Deve Gowda made Mr. Gurudeva an MLC in 2004. All was well for one year, after which Mr. Viswanath and Mr. Gurudeva drifted apart, leading to the latter being sidelined.

He was planning to return to the Congress, but was reluctant to give up his Council seat. Therefore, he was forced to continue in the JD(S).

He is now campaigning for the BJP candidates in Sakleshpur and Belur.

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