Is CM to be blamed for split in BJP polls?

By CT reporter
MANGALORE: With Ullal by-elections over and the results out, a debate is presently underway whether chief minister Kumaraswamy was responsible for a split in BJP votes.
It is already an open secret that the JD(S) had fielded a Muslim candidate Aboobakker Natekal in the last minute at the behest of the district minister Nagaraj Shetty whose sole aim was to defeat the Congress.
Had the JD(S) adhered to Rajadharma then it should not have fielded its candidate in Ullal. Even in the Chamundeshwari by-elections, the BJP had not fielded a candidate against the JD(S). But here, the JD(S) fielded a candidate reportedly by bowing to Shetty’s pressure. The BJP was beaming all through the campaigning as if victory was its sole prerogative. Never had it at any point of time, blamed or launched an attack on the JD(S).
But everything turned upside down in the elections. The BJP lost the elections and the JD(S) even lost its deposit. The BJP secured less votes compared to the previous election.
What has been gathered now is that the JD(S) workers had themselves voted for the Congress, as they didn’t want to vote for the JD(S) which was sure to bite the dust and thereby help the BJP win. On the other hand some in the BJP who were against the candidature of Chandrashekhar Uchil, voted for the JD(S) rather than Khader. One reason for this is the talks which the chief minister had held with the BJP dissidents in Ullal. The chief minister who was very well aware that the Muslims in Ullal may not back a JD(S) candidate, in a bid to grab as much votes as possible, had a try by groping in the BJP basket. It is owing to this reason that the BJP candidate secured fewer votes when compared to the previous election. In toto what can be said is that the poll strategy of the district in-charge minister, proved fatal for his party itself.