BENGALURU: Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Thursday said that a final decision on forging a pre-poll alliance between the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Janata Dal (Secular) for the December 10 MLC elections will be taken by the senior leaders of the party — former chief ministers BS Yediyurappa and HD Kumaraswamy.
This comes close on the heels of a meeting between JDS supremo and former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, which set off endless speculation about a possible tie-up between both the parties to face the Legislative Council elections, the second major electoral test for Bommai after the bypolls to Hanagal and Sindagi assembly cosntituencies.
Speaking to the media here, Bommai said there are different opinions on the issue in the districts. Elaborating, Bommai, who started his political career in the Janata Dal and enjoys a good rapport with JDS leaders, said, “Final details of the pre-poll alliance between the BJP and JDS will be decided by the leadership of both the parties.”
Political pundits point out that the JDS can tangibly help the BJP in districts like Bidar, Raichur, Uttar Kannada, Shivamogga, Bengaluru Rural, Chikkaballapur, Kolar, Tumakuru and Bengaluru. However, the regional party has near absolute control over Mandya and Hassan districts and is almost 100% sure of getting its nominees elected in these two seats and it may not take a chance of supporting the BJP in the two districts. Hence, Mandya and Hassan are likely to see a direct JDS-Congress fight.
Yediyurappa had recently sought the support of JDS in seats where it is not contesting. While the elections are a week away, both BJP and JDS are chalking out strategies to reduce the Congress’ strength in the Upper House. In the last elections, the Congress had managed to win 14 of the 25 seats it is contesting now.
Yatnal: CM’s hangers-on will be dropped
Vijayapura MLA Basanagouda Yatnal, known to make controversial remarks, on Thursday claimed that there will be major changes in the government in about a week’s time. He claimed that many non-performing ministers “who just hang around with the CM” will be dropped after December 10, but added that not all are performing badly. He stressed that the CM will not be changed. Asked about Yatnal’s claim, CM Basavaraj Bommai, who was in Delhi, said he had no such information. “There may be something that Yatnal may be privy to. I will speak to him,” he remarked cryptically. Yatnal, a former Union minister, had been censured by the party for speaking against Yediyurappa and had laid low ever since Bommai took over as CM.