The disintegration of the Janata Parivar, an exodus of leaders and negative publicity have resulted in the JD(S) losing its base in North Karnataka.
Taking advantage of the dwindling base of the JD(S), the BJP had surged into the region and consolidated its position.
In the 1991 Lok Sabha polls, JD(S) won a sizeable number of seats in the region -- Belgaum, Chikkodi and Bagalkot -- due to strong leaders and cadre at the grassroot level.
“The split in the Janata Parivar paved the way for creation of the Janata Dal (Secular) and Janata Dal (United). Many leaders quit the JD and joined either the Congress or BJP. That was the beginning of the downfall of JD(S) in our region. Revival of the erstwhile Janata Parivar is the only way forward,” said MLC and former minister Basavaraj Horatti.
According to Horatti, former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda and former Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy made honest efforts to strengthen the party in 2003 and 2008 by fielding good candidates and supporting them financially to take on the opposition. Unfortunately, candidates got into “match fixing” with their rivals and did not make any effort to win elections. Naturally, both Gowda and Kumaraswamy lost interest in the region, which comprises Haveri, Gadag, Dharwad, Belgaum, Uttara Kannada, Bagalkot and Bijapur districts.