Hubballi: JD (S) NH Konareddy, former MLA Navalgund, has become a topic of discussion after the support of Congress candidates in the local body Dharwad constituency at a time there was a buzz that the BJP and JD (S) to form a pact for a couple of seats in the MLC elections.
Currently, there is no clarity pact.
JD leader and former Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy said the party would stand clear on Monday.
However, konareddy has swung to support Ahmed Saleem Congress, calling her “old friend”.
Stand Konareddy has added credence to speculation that he may join the Congress ahead of assembly elections in 2023.
Konareddy said he supports Ahmed based on local conditions.
“I am secular.
Candidates for the Congress party was not only secular but an old friend of mine.
Therefore, I have decided to jump into the campaign for the Congress candidate,” he said.
There are more than 900 voters in the three districts of Haveri, Dharwad and Gadag in Dharwad local bodies constituency.
JD leader said that he will campaign hard “to make the Congress candidate Ahmed Saleem win by a large margin”.
Explaining his behavior, he said: “I was asked by a senior party to receive the call on the support of candidates at the local level.
The sole purpose is to ensure the Congress candidate won the election.” Anil Kumar Patil, President of the World Congress of rural Dharwad, said that since no candidate of JD in the MLC elections of local bodies Dharwad, party leaders approached Konareddy and asked him to support the Congress.
“There is no talk about konareddy joined the Congress had happened.
He campaigned for the Congress as he believes and practices the secular ideology, its active participation in the campaign will certainly help in a big win,” said Patil.