Come elections, party hopping has become a regular affair to be in power. The monkey business of defection has hit both the national parties — the BJP and the Congress — which in a way is helping leaders’ migration to the JD(S), which is offering tickets to defectors from both the parties in the State. In fact, it has almost become a part of electioneering in the country.
Meanwhile, senior Congress leader, former Union Minister and eight-time Member of Parliament Jaffer Sharief is rather upset with the party high command for not giving him a seat to contest in Bangalore Central. He has almost threatened the party and decided to join the JD(S), led by former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda who has offered him a seat to contest from Mysore Kodagu, which would be difficult for the Congress as it certainly splits minority votes. Sharief is currently visiting Makka and will announce his decision when he returns.
However, after a few confabulations JD(S) supremo HD Deve Gowda announced that he would welcome former Railway Minister Jaffer Sharief to contest from the JD(S). Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and State Congress chief G Parameshwara’s effort went in vain to convince Sharief as he is evidently still upset with the party.
Sharief is not the only participant in this drama of defection but there are many more characters still playing their roles giving sleepless nights to the leaders of the major political parties ahead of April 17 ballot in the general elections in Karnataka. Karnataka has 28 lok Sabha seats and the BJP had won 19 in 2009.
Many prominent leaders along with their supporters have become rather active players in this drama. More than 20 prominent leaders — which includes cinestars-turned-politicians, former IPS officers and some businessmen — have so far have played their monkey business in this line of defection.
Former Karnataka DGP HT Sangliyana, retired top cop KC Ramamurthy both joined the JD(S) deserting the Congress, while film actress Rakshitha left JD(S) to join the BJP. However, the biggest player changing parties will remain former Railway Minister and senior Congress leader Jaffer Sharief who is all set switch over to Janata Dal (Secular). In the drama, staunch Yeddyurappa followers, who have been not allowed in to the BJP have joined the Congress giving a jolt to the saffron party.
Former Unioin Minister and KJP working president Dhananjaya Kumar, after being neglected by the BJP to accommodate him in any position, switched over to the JD(S) and got a ticket to contest for Mangalore lok Sabha seat. While KJP leaders including MD lakshminarayana, Umapathi, KS Ningappa, M Jayaram and Jabbar Khan Honnali joined the Congress, film actress Pooja Gandhi joined the BJP.
The BJP got a shot in the arm when its former Minister B Sriramulu returned home, after he had quit the party and formed the BSR Congress, following his friend and former Minister and mining baron G Janardhana Reddy fell out of the BJPs favours and was even jailed for illegal iron ore mining. The defection drama also left the Samajwadi Party to lose its only Assembly member in Karnataka, CP Yogeshwar, who decided to return to his mother party the Congress.
Former SP State unit president and police chief Shankar Bidari too was dissolutioned and now decided to contest as an Independent from Bagalkot. Former Union Minister Babagouda Patil, who was made SP president has quit the SP and joined the BJP. The game of defection is likely to continue till the last date for filing of nominations on March 26. Many more are expected to be playing a part in this monkey business to be in power.