Why these Karnataka top guns across party lines are hot under the collar

BS YEDDYURAPPA

He is currently the most miffed in the BJP pack. Sources in the BJP said that an angry Yeddyurappa did not hit the campaign trail for the past three days as his recommendations for Bengaluru South and Chikkodi were rejected by the party high command. “Yeddyurappa strongly feels that he singlehandedly built the party in the state, but is now sidelined by the RSS-backed power centres. Yeddyurappa’s shadow-boxing with RSS functionary B L Santosh is an open secret. Yeddyurappa is desperate to get back the controlling levers.


MALLIKARJUN M KHARGE
He had been called “Solillada Sardara” (the unvanquished). This election should have been a cakewalk for the veteran Congressman, but the reality is that Mallikarjun Kharge is now fuming and restless because of an uprising. Kharge is now challenged by former Chincholi MLA Umesh Jadhav, who joined the BJP recently. With PM Narendra Modi kickstarting his campaign in Kalaburagi and BJP leaders working with vigour, Kharge finds himself locked in his constituency. “He feels he has been checkmated by a few senior state leaders,” Congress leaders claim.

HD KUMARASWAMY

He thought it would be a cakewalk for his son Nikhil in Mandya. But all hell broke loose when Sumalatha Ambareesh filed her nomination papers. H D Kumaraswamy strongly believes that a senior Congress leader is working behind the scenes for Sumalatha’s victory and vowed not to seek the support of Congress leaders, barring D K Shivakumar. Kumaraswamy has been tied to Mandya constituency and he is angry that he has been challenged in his own backyard. Recently, he lost his cool over the income tax raids in the Old Mysuru region.

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HD DEVE GOWDA

The 24/7 politician has has been seething with anger. The reason: Congress rebellions in constituencies where he and his grandsons are contesting. H D Deve Gowda seems to have lost the advantage this time as Congressmen have openly refused to support the JD(S) in Hassan, Mandya and Tumakaru. JD(S) sources said Gowda handed over a slip to Congress supremo Rahul Gandhi on March 31, containing the names of constituencies where the coalition partners are bitterly divided. In fact, Gowda has decided to undertake joint campaigns with his bête noire Siddaramaiah to contain trouble at the grassroots.
DK SHIVAKUMAR

Though he has been the troubleshooter for the Congress, his tryst with income tax officials following multiple raids have only left him exasperated. Sources close to him maintain that tremendous pressure is being mounted on him to jump ship, but he is battling it as political prospects for him are brighter in the Congress camp. “Being under the constant watch of I-T officials gets on the nerves,” his aide pointed out. Politically, too, Shivakumar has been facing barbs from politicians in the Belagavi-Ballari region.