Aiming to make the most of their alliance in Karnataka and win a maximum number of seats in the state in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, the BJP and the JD(S) are mulling an “exchange formula” whereby their candidates may contest on each other’s symbols. According to sources, this formula is under the BJP-JD(S) consideration for at least three constituencies in the Old Mysore region, where the BJP is looking to repeat its 2019 performance. The party had then won all but three seats in the region, going on to bag 25 of the 28 seats in the state. Among the names doing the rounds for this “switch” agreement is C N Manjunath, the 66-year-old son-in-law of former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda. Manjunath, who recently retired from the Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences and Research after heading it for 18 years, is likely to be fielded as the BJP candidate from either Bangalore North or Bangalore Rural seat. While former Union minister D V Sadananda Gowda, who announced retirement from politics in November last year, represents Bangalore North, Bangalore Rural is currently the Congress’s lone seat from the state, which is represented by D K Suresh, brother of deputy Chief Minister and state Congress chief D K Shivakumar. Manjunath told The Indian Express that he was still “in a dilemma” over his candidature. “Let me clarify in about a week. People from both the parties (BJP and JDS) have approached me and floated my name as a candidate. I will take a call after discussing the matter with my family members,” he said. A senior JD(S) leader, on condition of anonymity, said Manjunath’s name could feature in the BJP’s list which is likely to be released in the next few days. “The list may be out after Sivaratri and he may have to join the BJP to contest polls,” the leader said. The BJP recently released its first list of 195 candidates which did not feature even a single candidate from Karnataka. The party’s Central Election Committee is likely to meet on March 8 following which another list of nominees is likely to be declared. Apart from Manjunath, the names of JD(S) leader and former minister Sa Ra Mahesh and BJP leader V Somanna are also doing the rounds under the proposed “switch” pact. The BJP may field Mahesh from the Mysore-Kodagu Lok Sabha seat, currently represented by Pratap Simha, who was caught in a row in December last year when a few persons, carrying visitor passes signed by him, entered Parliament after breaching its security. There continues to be uncertainty over Simha's candidature. Speculations are rife that Somanna would contest on a JD(S) ticket from the Tumkur seat, currently held by BJP MP G S Basavaraj, who has refused to contest the elections this time, citing age and health concerns. However, Somanna denied it. “The (BJP) high command and senior JD(S) leaders like Deve Gowda and H D Kumaraswamy will decide… As of now, there has been no such proposal,” he said on Saturday after a meeting with BJP Parliamentary Board member and former CM B S Yediyurappa. Somanna, who was a minister in the previous BJP government, contested last year’s Assembly elections from two seats and lost. He was beaten by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in Varuna and lost to the Congress’s C Puttarangashetty in Chamarajanagar.
