Supporters want Srinivasa Prasad to contest from Chamarajanagar

MYSURU: Workers and activists of the BJP in Chamarajanagar are intent on getting senior Dalit leader and former minister V Srinivasa Prasad to contest the upcoming Lok Sabha elections from the constituency, which he has represented in the Parliament five times. Congress leader R Dhruvanarayan has held the seat for the past ten years.

Although Prasad had announced that he would not be active in electoral politics following his defeat in the high-stakes byelection in Nanjangud two years ago, his supporters have asked to reevaluate his decision. Calling on him at his home in Jayalakshmipuram here on Thursday, his supporters relayed to Prasad the impact his candidature would have on the party’s fortunes in the region.

Buoyed by its success in the Mysuru region in last year’s assembly elections, when the party won two assembly seats in the Lok Sabha constituency, the BJP is optimistic about its chances in the general elections, and is on the lookout for a strong candidate to field in the reserved segment . Prasad is expected to give incumbent MP Dhruvanarayan a tough fight, should the former agree to re-enter the electoral fray again.

More than a 100 supporters of Prasad, led by former legislator C Guruswamy met the former minister at his house on Thursday. They refused to listen to Prasad’s protestations about his having left electoral politics. “I am confused, and need a day’s time to arrive at a decision,” Prasad told his supporters.