This story is from November 2, 2018

Ramanagara run out: BJP Vokkaliga leaders worked at cross-purposes

Ramanagara run out: BJP Vokkaliga leaders worked at cross-purposes
BENGALURU: Party candidate L Chandrashekar jumping ship and returning to the Congress two days prior to the Ramanagara byelection has left state BJP leaders with a disaster on their hands and the wrath of the central leadership hanging over their heads.
The BJP’s Vokkaliga leaders are facing the blame for the fiasco. Union minister D V Sadananda Gowda, C P Yogeshwar and R Ashoka, all in charge of the campaign, were working at cross-purposes,
party sources said.
“The Ramanagara bypoll fiasco is yet another example of Vokkaliga leaders looking out for their own interests, rather than those of the party,” a BJP worker said.
Hours after Chandrashekar rejoined the Congress on Thursday, Gowda tried to shift the blame to Yogeshwar for bringing Chandrashekar to the party. “The decision to field Chandrashekar was taken after Yogeshwar decided to bring him into the party fold,” he said, pointing fingers at the former Channapatna MLA. “We considered Chandrashekar a leader who could build the party base in the Old Mysuru region but he betrayed us.”
At a press conference early on Thursday, Chandrashekar squarely blamed Yogeshwar for not supporting him in the campaign and described Gowda as being only a “smiling face”. According to the Gowda camp, the Union minister may become the “scapegoat” for the debacle, as he was in charge of the BJP campaign and did not foresee Chandrashekar becoming a turncoat.
Another Vokkaliga leader, Ashoka, is also likely to face the heat for being “ineffective”. While Ashoka, camping in the adjoining district of Mandya, had been given the responsibility of managing the Mandya Lok Sabha
bypoll campaign, his proximity to Yeddyurappa is seen as a double-edged sword.
“The increased dependence of Yeddyurappa on Ashoka for decisions in Old Mysuru region will certainly mark his political end,” a party insider said. “This being the case, unless there is a dramatic result in Mandya, and the BJP comes close to a win, Ashoka is definitely going to feel the walls closing in on him.”
The BJP has termed Chandrashekar a “Trojan horse” who entered the party to embarrass state party chief BS Yeddyurappa. By targeting Yogeshwar, the anti-Yeddyurappa camp will be bolstered to target the party president. It may be recalled that Yogeshwar was among those who were associated with Yeddyurappa to “poach” MLAs from south Karnataka and “destabilise” the Congress-JD(S) alliance.
Had suspicions about Chandrashekar: BSY
BJP state president B S Yeddyurappa said he had “suspicions” about the party’s Ramanagara bypoll candidate L Chandrashekar — who withdrew from the race and returned to the Congress on Thursday — and that was why he chose not to campaign for him. “May God give good thoughts to those who purchased our candidate,” the former CM said in Shikaripura on Thursday. “We did not campaign in Ramanagara because we had suspicions about him for the past week. His father was a Congress leader so he had connections with Congress leaders. Chandrashekar not only cheated; he also cheated the people of Ramanagara.”
Yeddyurappa alleged that Chandrashekar was purchased by the DK brothers, Suresh and Shivakumar.
Lesson for BJP, says Eshwarappa
Former deputy chief minister and BJP leader KS Eshwarappa said L Chandrashekar’s withdrawal from the bypoll in Ramanagara was a “lesson” for the party.
“This is a lesson for the BJP: We should field candidates from our party,” he said, adding that the BJP would not have selected Chandrashekar if it had a strong base in Ramanagara.
“We have to strengthen our party at the grassroots level in Ramanagara,” he said. “There is no logic in Chandrashekar’s blaming BJP leaders for not helping him campaign. [The Congress-JD(S) coalition] has purchased our candidate.”
BJP leader alleges political conspiracy
BJP state general secretary CT Ravi on Thursday alleged that there was a political conspiracy behind the party Ramanagara byelection candidate L Chandrashekar pulling out of the race.
“BJP is a cadre-based, ideology-based party. Election results are just a byproduct for us,” he told reporters here on Thursday. “Giving a ticket to Chandrashekar was an experiment. He cheated us. We apologise to our activists for this fiasco.”
Bypolls litmus test, for govt: Gowda
JD(S) chief HD Deve Gowda said the November 3 bypolls will be a litmus test for the Congress-JD(S) coalition government. If the BJP wins the bypolls, it will destroy secular forces in the state, Gowda said at a poll campaign meeting in Nagamangala on Thursday.
“All secular parties must join to defeat the BJP or it will mean an end to secular principles,” he said. “We must win all five segments.”
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About the Author
Sandeep Moudgal

Journalist by profession, 15 years in the field with Politics and Policy as forte. He is an Assistant Editor with Bengaluru bureau and Karnataka as his jurisdiction. Has a Masters degree in Ancient History and Archaeology from Mysore University along with a PGDJ from the Asian College of Journalism.

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