BANGALORE: The December 22 byelection to the Legislative Council, on which Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda is banking on for a backdoor entry into the state Legislature, may, after all, turn out to be a no-contest, after the Congress failed to secure the JD(S)’ backing for its candidate.According to sources, Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president Dr G Parmeshwar and JD(S) strongman H D Kumaraswamy had met recently and failed to arrive at a consensus on supporting Congress nominee Anand Gaddadevaramath.It is said that the JD(S)’ lacklustre response was due to the internal bickering within the Congress, a section of whom were reportedly wanting to hop to the Sharad Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP).In fact, several Congress legislators have already voiced the view that all is not well within the grand old party, which once participated in the freedom struggle. It must be noted that the CM’s victory will be a given should the JD(S) decide to abstain from voting.Notwithstanding the simmering differences within the party, the KPCC president put up a brave front on Tuesday and informed that all Congress MLAs would vote against Gowda’s candidature. Maintaining that all the 71 party legislators are backing the Congress candidate, he said: “All efforts are being made to drum-up support for our nominee.”Referring to the BJP’s plans to take its MLAs to a resort a day before polling, Parmeshwar remarked: “This only shows that all is not well within the BJP. If they are so confident in facing the elections, where is the necessity to take party MLAs to a resort.” On the Congress’ decision to pit an unknown candidate against the CM, the KPCC president said that anything is possible.With the BJP commanding the support of 122 members, including the Speaker, an Independent and a nominated member, it should not be difficult for Gowda to sail through the polls.It may be worthwhile to note that in the 225-member Assembly, the Congress has the support of 71 members followed by JD(S) at 26.
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