BANGALORE: Adopting a wait and watch policy to take a stand that would be electorally convenient for it in the Bellary rural byelections, a meeting of senior JD (S) leaders slated for Tuesday was postponed by a day. Tuesday’s meeting ought to have decided whether or not to contest the Bellary rural by-election, though party supremo H D Deve Gowda is not in favour of fielding the candidate. Party spokesperson Y S V Datta told Express that the Bellary district unit of JD (S) has not yet zeroed in the candidate. He denied that there is deep division in the party whether or not to field candidate in the byelection. In Gowda’s view, the ruling party has to field none other than former minister B Sriramulu as he continues to enjoy the popularity of the masses. Should the BJP field anyone else, the JD (S) can boycott the polls and accusing the BJP of using elections to score political points in an intra-party fight. On the other hand, if the BJP decides to dump Sriramulu, the JD (S) is expected to support him clandestinely and go all out to defeat the ruling party which, according to Gowda, will trigger a crisis in the BJP.Gowda’s calculation is that his party will be in a ‘win-win’ situation by not fielding the candidate and no matter who is going to be the BJP’s candidate. Gowda’s move to support Sriramulu in his bid to defeat the BJP is being seen as a significant step of this crafty politician’s “operation demolition BJP government” exercise coming after successfully fixing former CM B S Yeddyurappa in corruption cases.
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