BENGALURU: Putting to rest all rumours of the JDS and the BJP joining hands for the December 10 Council polls, JDS leader HD Kumaraswamy on Tuesday said the party will contest elections on its own and that local leaders will decide on extending support to candidates of other parties in constituencies where the JDS has not fielded candidates.
Senior BJP leader B S Yediyurappa had earlier sought JDS support, while CM Basavaraj Bommai had maintained that the party had not sought support. Former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda’s meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi had fuelled speculation about a possible understanding between the two parties. The JDS is contesting six out of 25 seats. The BJP and Congress have fielded candidates in 20 seats. Kumaraswamy said in the 19 seats where the party is not contesting, local leaders will take a decision keeping in mind the party’s goal to win 123 seats in the 2023 Assembly polls.
The former CM said that while the Congress has accused the JDS of being the BJP’s B-team, they had not received any request from the saffron party on having any sort of understanding for the Council elections.
“Yediyurappa had called me over phone and sought support in constituencies where we are not contesting. He had done that to help his party candidates,” he said. Candidates from all three parties are contesting in Hassan, Mandya, Bengaluru Rural, Kolar, Mysuru and Tumakuru. “The BJP candidates are contesting against our candidates, where is the question of any understanding?” he pointed out.
In some constituencies, JDS leaders are supporting the Congress and in some other constituencies, they are supporting the BJP, depending on the local equations, he said.Meanwhile, State Congress president DK Shivakumar said Yediyurappa seeking the JDS support showed the party’s weakness.