Ending the uncertainty over the BJP and JD(S) alliance candidate for South Teachers’ Constituency, JD(S) leader K. Vivekananda on Thursday filed his nomination papers as the coalition candidate of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) for the ensuing elections to the constituency.
Accompanied by former Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy, Leader of Opposition in the Assembly R. Ashok, former Minister and JD(S) MLA G.T. Deve Gowda, and BJP candidate for Mysuru Lok Sabha seat Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar, Mr. Vivekananda filed his papers at the Regional Commissioner’s office here.
The Constituency is going to polls on June 3 and the counting of votes will take place on June 6.
Hundreds of candidate supporters, from JD(S) and the BJP, thronged the Regional Commissioner’s office to extend their support to Mr. Vivekananda. Police had a tough time managing traffic on the busy Hunsur Road in view of the congregation of large crowds.
Thursday was the last date for filing the nominations for the polls. The nominations will undergo scrutiny on Friday and the last date for withdrawing the nomination is May 20.
The confusion over the alliance candidate was triggered by the announcement of a ticket for E.C. Ningaraju to the constituency by the BJP central leadership. However, the JD(S) insisted that the seat be given to it since it was held by the party. The BJP finally agreed to leave the seat to the JD(S) and decided to fight from four seats, leaving two to its alliance partner.
After the suspense over the alliance candidate ended, former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda on Wednesday issued the ‘B’ form to Mr. Vivekananda, who filed his papers on Thursday.
Many other leaders of the party from the four districts – Mysuru, Mandya, Hassan, and Chamarajanagar – were present to extend support to the alliance candidate.
Meanwhile, former MLC and JD(S) leader K.T. Srikanrte Gowda, who had expressed his wish to fight the polls as an Independent following denial of ticket to him for the constituency, held a meeting with his supporters on Thursday.
The meeting witnessed high drama after JD(S) leaders including G.T. Deve Gowda, S.R. Mahesh, C.S. Puttaraju, and C.N. Manje Gowda visited the venue to pacify Mr. Srikante Gowda and extend support to Mr. Vivekananda. The supporters of Mr. Srikante Gowda, who was a strong aspirant for the ticket, objected to the JD(S) leaders’ move to stop their leader from filing his nomination papers as an independent candidate.
However, Mr. Srikante Gowda appears to have been convinced by the JD(S) leaders, after the meeting.
Earlier, speaking to reporters, Mr. Kumaraswamy said there are no problems whatsoever in the JD(S) and BJP alliance and the coalition will continue in the future as well. “The alliance is not temporary. It is going to continue,” he said, citing how the parties fought together in the Lok Sabha elections and now the Council polls.
Mr. Kumaraswammu expressed confidence that the alliance is going to bag 23 to 26 Lok Sabha seats.
