TUMAKURU: When JDS youth wing president Nikhil Kumaraswamy launched the ‘Janarondige Janata Dal’ (JD-S with the people) campaign here on Monday, sending out a message to opponents that the regional political outfit is still a force to reckon with, especially in Old Mysuru region, a Vokkaliga bastion.
BJP legislators B Suresh Gowda and GB Jyothiganesh received Nikhil when he arrived at the prominent Lingayat religious institution, Siddaganga Mutt, and sought the blessings of Sri Siddalinga Swamiji, and prayed before the ‘gadduge’ (tomb) of Sri Shivakumara Swami.
His campaign has been touted as a prelaunch for his elevation as JDS state president and to lead the party in local bodies polls, including the ZP/TP and BBMP elections, expected to be held in November 2025.
According to sources, the BJP, which has made inroads into Old Mysuru region, is not in a mood to go with the alliance in urban local bodies polls. The JDS, too, has been preparing for any circumstance, as Nikhil has kept the BJP guessing. “Let us see how things pan out,” he quipped to a query on the alliance.
Nikhil, who has lost three electoral battles, including the recent Channapatna bypoll, will need to test his skills as a political organiser, according to analysts. He urged the Congress government to announce dates for urban local bodies’ polls, which have been delayed for years. For any political party, especially the regional outfits, polls to local bodies play a crucial role in strengthening their base by improving their vote share, and the JDS is also focusing on the same, say experts.
The party’s vote share took a nosedive to a mere 13.29 per cent in the 2023 assembly polls, from 18.36 per cent in 2018, and the party could win only 19 seats. Nikhil plans to regain the party’s vote share in local bodies’ polls by up to 20 per cent, and ensure the JDS plays the kingmaker’s role in Karnataka’s politics in future, according to a party insider.