JD(S) rebel's entry to alter equations in K'taka by-poll

BANGALORE: It will be a triangular contest in the December 4 by-election to the Chamdundeshwari assembly constituency as the JD(S) ticket aspirant and former legislator A S Guruswamy, who had entered the fray from JD(U) on being ignored, refused to yield to frantic efforts from the former prime minister H D Deve Gowda and Karnataka chief minister H D Kumaraswamy to withdraw from the race.

The ruling JD(S), which succeeded in persuading coalition partner BJP to extend unconditional support to its candidate Shivabasappa, will now have to contend with Guruswamy’s presence in its bid to trounce former deputy chief minister Siddaramaiah, who is contesting from the Congress party.

As both Shivabasappa and Guruswamy are from the politically powerful Lingayat community, which is next only in size to the backward Kuruba community to which Siddaramaiah belongs, the latter will have a tactical advantage at the outset itself.

Unlike the JD(S), the Congress party has managed to prevail upon the BSP, which holds swamy among the Dalits, not to field its candidate.

Siddaramaiah has won from Chamundeshwari in four out of the seven elections held so far, including once as an independent, on an anti-Congress plank.