Suspense and uncertainty grips JD LS candidates

BANGALORE, Aug 20: With just four days left for filing of nominations for the second phase of polling for Lok Sabha and Assembly constitu...

BANGALORE, Aug 20: With just four days left for filing of nominations for the second phase of polling for Lok Sabha and Assembly constituences in Karnataka, a mood of uncertainty is prevailing in the three-party combination of the Janata Dal (U), as aspirants of the parties are trying hard to get tickets.

The last minute seat-sharing tie-up the JD (U) combine struck with a reluctant BJP in Karnataka, has only resulted in all-round confusion for the Janata parivar’, comprising the Dal faction, led by Sharad Yadav, Lok Shakti and Samata Party, as there are several ticket aspirants.

The confusion has arisen as candidates of the Dal faction and Lok Shakti have both been issued B’ forms by their parties in some constituencies allotted to them by the BJP.

For instance, the nomination of Minister of State for Information and Technology, Anant Nag, a close confidante of the Chief Minister J H Patel, has been rejected.

JD (U) sources say Nag filed nomination papers for Basavanagudi constituency along with a B’ form, but the Lok Shakti candidate, Sriganesh, filed nominations in the same constituency with a B’ form, which superseded Nag’s form.

Under the pact agreed upon by the Janata parivar and BJP, the former has got 10 of the 28 Lok Sabha and 95 of the 224 Assembly constituencies.

Meanwhile, leaders of the Dal faction and Lok Shakti are working out strategies to ensure that party workers strive for the success of official nominees. Candidates who had filed nominations, anticipating a change and getting tickets, have been asked to withdraw from the fray.

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The BJP has already declared it would direct its candidates, who have filed nominations in constituencies allotted to the Janata parivar, to withdraw. However, it is not yet clear in how many constituencies the BJP nominees have filed papers.