Ananth Kumar in what-if mode

The four-time BJP MP seems all confidence and swagger but is already planning his next move in case he's trounced this time

The four-time BJP MP seems all confidence and swagger but is already planning his next move in case he's trounced this time

A jittery H N Ananth Kumar has a plan B in place, just in case he loses his Bangalore (South) seat.

It hasn't been a cakewalk for BJP's four-time MP these elections what with Congress' Krishna Byre Gowda giving him a run for his money. So, here's the alternative plan: Fight for an assembly from Basavanagudi during a by-poll.

Same to same: L K Advani and Ananth Kumar share the stage at a public meeting at National College Grounds yesterday pic/Ramesh H S

"Sitting MLA Ravisubramanya is Ananth Kumar's close confidant and will give up his seat in case his mentor flunks," said a BJP source.

Sources say Kumar has already spoken to Subramanya and the latter is more than willing to make way for him.

Loss? Ha!

Kumar, of course, stoutly denies the rumours. "Congress is no match for the BJP in the constituency, and we are only calculating the margin of win," he said, adding that the question of going back to the Assembly did not arise as the NDA was coming back to power at the centre.

Predictably, Ravisubramanya echoed his mentor's thought: "By God's grace Ananth Kumar will be victorious and will be minister at the centre. We are not scared of our opponents."

Actions talk

But Kumar is not acting as confident as he sounds. The BJP national general secretary had said he would travel across the country campaigning, leaving his constituency to party workers.

That, however, was after former chief minister S M Krishna pulled out of the race and names like T V Maruthi, B K Chandra Shekar, and Rajiv Gowda were bandied about.

"Earlier, Kumar had to fight only weak candidates and it was not a problem for him," said a source. "But the entry of Krishna Byre Gowda has changed the dynamics of the contest."

So much so that "leave alone touring the country, he is not even visiting other constituencies in the state," said a source close to him.

Sensing a tough contest, even the RSS is chipping in and is understood to have instructed Swayam Sevaks to leave no stone unturned.

But, it remains a tough battle. An insider said: "Whoever wins will do so by a wafer-thin marginu00a0... If he is lucky, Ananth Kumar will win but Byre Gowda is giving him nightmares for sure."