JDS not contesting bypolls as it wants its "marginal" votes to go to BJP:Siddaramaiah

Congress leader and formerChief Minister Siddaramaiah alleged on Thursday JDS was notcontesting the coming Assembly and Lok Sabha by-elections innorth Karnataka as the party wants its ''marginal votes'' to goto the ruling BJP in the State.

His comments a day after JDS patriarch and formerPrime Minister H D Deve Gowda said his party would not fieldcandidates as it did not have the funds to fight the bypolls.

Bypolls for Belgaum (Belagavi) Lok Sabha, andBasavakalyan, Sindgi and Maski Assembly seats are due and theschedule is expected to be announced by the ElectionCommission soon.

Siddaramaiah, also Leader of Opposition in theLegislative Assembly, told reporters here that the JDS was notstrong in these constituencies.

''They want their marginal votes also to go to BJP.

Hence, JDS is not contesting,'' he claimed.

Senior JDS MLC, Basavaraj Horatti was electedChairman of the Karnataka Legislative Council on Tuesday withthe support of the BJP amid indications that the two partiesare warming up to each other.

To a question on the ongoing agitation demanding ST(Scheduled Tribe) status to the Kuruba (shepherd) community,to which he also belongs, Siddaramaiah said when he was ChiefMinister he had ordered a 'Kulashastra Adhyayana'(ethnographic study) about categorising Kurubas into STcategory.

''The study is still ongoing.The demands should bemade after the study is over.In my opinion, rallies are notneeded at this point,'' he said.

In a show of strength, Kurubas, categorised as OtherBackward Castes (OBCs), staged a mammoth rally last Sundaydemanding ST tag for the community.

Siddaramaiah alleged that the BJP and RSS wereplaying politics in the issue to provide reservation toKurubas, and ''their main motive is to divide Kurubacommunity''.

''Why is K S Eshwarappa (a Kuruba and senior ministerin the B S Yediyurappa Cabinet) is protesting against his ownparty? This clearly exposes their motive,'' Siddaramaiah said.

Reacting to Siddaramaiah's statement, Eshwarappa, theRural Development and Panchayatraj Minister, sought to knowwhy Siddaramaiah was ''opposed to the campaign'' by thecommunity.

''We have no objection to the Kulashastra Adhyayanabut Siddaramaiah should make it clear why this agitation isnot required,'' Eshwarappa told reporters in the districtheadquarters town of Shivamogga.PTI GMS RS BNADMINISTRATOR BNADMINISTRATOR