BJP, JD(S) dissidence amid seat sharing pact in Hassan

Hassan: Amidst growing tensions within the BJP-JD(S) alliance ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, the intervention of high-ranking leaders seeks to ease the discord. However, in Hassan, the alliance faces a significant challenge as internal dissent brews.

JDS’s sitting MP Prajwal Revanna has plunged into the campaign fray as an alliance candidate, while the party continues its campaigning without consulting BJP leaders. Adding to the complexity, BJP’s state general secretary Pritam Gowda’s associate, HP Kiran Kumar, has initiated campaigning, highlighting the uncertainty surrounding the alliance candidate selection.

The rift between BJP and JD(S) has spilled onto the streets, with the Pritam Gowda faction fielding a BJP ticket aspirant as an alternative to the JDS nominee. This move stems from the lack of official alliance talks at the district level. Kiran Kumar commenced his campaign with a prayer ceremony at Siddeshwar Temple in Hassan on Saturday further complicating matters for JD(S) leaders.

As BJP ticket aspirants kickstart their campaigns amidst the ambiguity surrounding the alliance candidate, the interest surrounding BJP’s strategy intensifies. Whether the BJP state leadership will intervene to reconcile the alliance remains uncertain.

Meanwhile, HD Kumaraswamy, currently recuperating from heart surgery in a Chennai hospital, is expected to return soon. The BJP high command contemplates organizing a joint campaign convention in Mysore and Hassan upon his return, aiming to assuage concerns among local party leaders.