Karnataka - Bangalore

Congress, JD(S) have come to a tacit understanding: BJP

BANGALORE: The Bharatiya Janata Party on Tuesday alleged that the Opposition Congress and the Janata Dal (Secular) had entered into a “tacit understanding” for the byelections in Madhugiri and Karwar Assembly constituencies at the behest of their State unit presidents.

Addressing presspersons here, BJP spokesperson V. Dhananjay Kumar alleged that Congress candidate K.N. Rajanna was backpedalling in Madhugiri in favour of JD(S) candidate Anitha Kumaraswamy, who is the wife of JD(S) State president H.D. Kumaraswamy.

Similarly, JD(S) candidate Devdas Gaonkar had almost retired from the fray in Karwar to favour the Congress as it was the home district of Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee president R.V. Deshpande, the spokesperson said.

He urged workers of the Congress and the JD(S) to either reject such a tacit understanding or support the BJP candidates to teach their leaders a lesson.

Mr. Kumar said Karwar district president of Ahinda (Kannada acronym for minorities, backward classes and Dalits) Kamalakar Gokarna, who is a close associate of Congress leader Siddaramaiah, was campaigning for the BJP candidate in Karwar. “Mr. Gokarna might have got permission from Mr. Siddaramaiah to campaign for us,” he said.

He claimed that the Congress leaders were frustrated as important leaders such as Siddaramaiah had not involved themselves in the election campaign.

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