BENGALURU: The passive support which the JDS has been extending to the JDS in the assembly bypolls, and in select seats where it has not fielded candidates for the Council polls, appears to be part of a larger gameplan for the 2023 assembly elections in Karnataka.
This gained credence after former PM HD Deve Gowda visited PM Narendra Modi on Wednesday. The meeting, seemingly a casual one with a proposal for the development of Hassan district, carried its own political significance. It served to convey the changing equation to the rank and file of both the BJP and JDS, and some BJP leaders have already highlighted it on social networking sites.
Former CM H D Kumaraswamy had stated on Wednesday that he will take a call on supporting the BJP, after Gowda returns from New Delhi, giving rise to speculation that Gowda and Modi also discussed politics during their meeting. Kumaraswamy is said to have held discussions with Gowda, who returned on Thursday night. He is expected to make an announcement about JDS’ support to BJP on Friday, and according to sources, may also instruct local leaders to back BJP candidates.
In fact, JDS leaders in seats like Chikkamagaluru are already supporting the BJP candidate, as the regional party has not fielded its candidate. In Shivamogga, where the party has some base in Bhadravathi and Thirthahalli taluks, and in Chitradurga, the local JDS leadership is going with the BJP candidate. In return, whether the JDS expects BJP candidates to be neutral in any of the six seats where it is contesting, is not clear. The party has to retain four seats and has fielded its candidates in Hassan, Mandya, Tumakuru, Mysuru, Kolar, Mandya and Bengaluru Rural.
The JDS strategy is clear: support BJP to stop arch-rival Congress from retaining its 14 seats in the ensuing polls, and ensure the BJP wins 13 seats for a majority in the Council, to help pass bills in the Upper House.
In the 2023 assembly polls too, the JDS could resort to a similar strategy as Kumaraswamy’s main target is to weaken Opposition leader Siddaramaiah who is as aggressive against JDS as BJP. “Anti-Siddaramaiah camps are expected to polarise the 2023 assembly polls,” a leader from the rival camp said.