The Janata Dal (Secular) is likely to continue its tacit understanding with the BJP in the Lok Sabha elections due next year, but the JD(S) may not become an ally in the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) due to political compulsions at its home turf.
“Our main aim is to defeat the Congress in the coming LS elections. The JD(S) has launched a Dharma Yuddha against them. Congress leaders, including Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, talk of winning a minimum of 20 of the total 28 seats in Karnataka. We want to restrict that number to five or six. The JD(S) will field its candidates in all 28 Lok Sabha constituencies but the campaign will be held seriously only in some constituencies,” a senior JD(S) leader told Express. Since the JD(S) has limited strength, it is taking the support of other parties. “Once the by-elections on August 21 and 22 are over, we will sit with all like-minded parties to work out a strategy,” the leader noted.
“The JD(S) welcomes all those who want to join hands to trounce the Congress in Karnataka. Our common enemy is the Congress and we will not allow it to grow” he added.
The leader claimed the Congress won Chamarajnagar, Mysore, Gulbarga, Kolar and Chikballapur Lok Sabha seats mainly due to the support extended by the JD(S) by fielding weak candidates. At that time, the JD(S) wanted to teach a lesson to the BJP because of which they supported the Congress. “We fielded not so strong candidates in those constituencies, including those from where three Union ministers -- Mallikarjun Kharge, K H Muniyappa, M Veerappa Moily -- won in 2009 polls. Had we fielded strong candidates, those leaders would have lost the elections by a big margin,” he pointed out.
When contacted, a senior BJP leader said any proposal that comes from the JD(S) will be discussed with the Delhi leaders before taking any decision.