JD(S), BJP fight in Chamundeshwari bypoll likely

Bangalore, Nov 7 (UNI) The BJP unit in Karnataka did not rule out the possibility of a 'friendly fight' between coalition partners BJP and JD(S) in the December four byelection to the prestigious Chamundeshwari Assembly constituency in Mysore district.

Talking to UNI here, party State President D V Sadananda Gowda pointed out that though the Congress and JD(S) were coalition partners earlier, they had a 'friendly contest' during the bypoll to the Bidar and Shimoga Lok Sabha and Chamarajpet Assembly seats. ''In a similar fashion, one cannot rule out the possibility of a friendly fight between the BJP and JD(S) this time.'' Mr Gowda said his party had made its intentions clear to JD(S) that it should leave the seat to BJP, which stood second during the 2004 elections. The party had a better chance of winning the seat, if one went by the good show put up by the party in the recent polls to the Legislative Council.

To a question, he said the JD(S) had not made any request to the BJP to field a common candidate.

He said the result of the bypoll, necessitated by the resignation of former Deputy Chief Minister Siddaramaiah prior to joining the Congress, would not be a referendum on the performance of the coalition Government in the State. It would also not have any bearing on the stability of the Government, he added.

Meanwhile, former Chief Minister and Congress leader N Dharam Singh said the people would give a befitting reply to those forces, which toppled a secular Government in the State by aligning with communal forces, at the hustings.

Exuding confidence that the Congress would win hands-down in the byelection and teach a lesson to both JD(S) and BJP, he said the party candidate Siddaramaiah would romp home with a huge margin despite all out efforts made by the JD(S) to lure the people.

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