Hyderabad: With Assembly elections in Karnataka and Nagaland scheduled for May and February respectively, the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) plans to deploy ministers and MLAs to campaign for H.D.Kumaraswamy-led Janata Dal (Secular) and Sharad Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) in the two poll-bound states. Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao is expected to campaign in Karnataka as soon as the EC issues the poll notification.
The BRS intends to campaign for the JD(S) in Karnataka, as well as explore the prospect of contesting a few seats in the Kalyana Karnataka region, which has a sizable Telugu-speaking population, with the support of the JD(S).
According to party insiders, ministers and BRS MLAs in the districts bordering Karnataka — Ranga Reddy, Medak, Mahabbnagar and Nizamabad — were asked to prepare for campaigning there from February. In Nagaland, BRS leaders are engaging with NCP and farmer leaders to consider the possibilities of contesting a few seats.
In the northeast state, the party is attempting to reach out to farmers by promising Rythu Bandhu, Rythu Badhu and free power, as about 4.5 lakh voters out of over 12 lakh are believed to be farmers. Sharad Pawar’s Nationalist Congress Party is actively looking for “like-minded parties” to contest in the Nagaland Assembly elections.
NCP leader in Nagaland and former MLA Y.Sulanthung H Lotha also met social welfare minister Koppula Eshwar on Saturday and offered to work with the BRS in Nagaland.
Ministers from undivided Mahbubnagar district V. Srinivas Goud and S. Niranjan Reddy have made a few trips to bordering areas of Karnataka and met local leaders and representatives farmers, OBCs, Dalits, women’s organisations and sought their support.
On the other hand, minister from undivided Nizamabad district, V. Prashanth Reddy, BRS MLAs from Ranga Reddy and Vikarabad districts such as P. Rohit Reddy, BRS Zahirabad MP B.B.Patil have been frequently visiting Karnataka bordering areas.
Tribal welfare minister Satyavathi Rathod addressed a joint meeting of local BRS and JDS leaders in Gulbarga in Karnataka on Saturday and asked them to work together to defeat the BJP and Congress in the Assembly polls, while asserting that the CM along with the party’s ministers will undertake campaigning for the Karnataka Assembly polls shortly.
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