JD(S) supremo and former prime minister HD Deve Gowda termed the alliance with the BJP as an “essential” step to “save” the regional party.
Published Sep 15, 2023 | 8:00 AM ⚊ Updated Sep 15, 2023 | 8:00 AM
Several JD(S) MLAs and leaders have expressed concern over the party's decision to make alliance with the BJP for Lok Sabha elections. (Supplied)
While the top leaders of the BJP and the JD(S) are in talks about an alliance for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, several leaders from both political parties are openly expressing dissent over this proposed coalition.
Nearly a week ago, BJP Parliamentary Board member and former Karnataka chief minister BS Yediyurappa announced that the BJP would forge an alliance with the JD(S) for the forthcoming Lok Sabha polls, and the saffron party’s high command had agreed to leave four seats to the latter.
Admitting that the alliance talks were underway with the BJP, JD(S) supremo and former prime minister HD Deve Gowda, who is said to be spearheading the talks with the BJP’s central leadership, termed the alliance as an “essential” step to “save” the regional party.
However, several JD(S) MLAs and at least one former BJP lawmaker have publicly expressed unhappiness about this alliance.
“Even JD(S) state president CM Ibrahim is said to be disappointed with Deve Gowda and [his son HD] Kumaraswamy on the matter,” sources in the party told South First.
In the 2019 Lok Sabha election, the JD(S) joined hands with the Congress in Karnataka, contesting seven Lok Sabha seats. However, it managed to win only one segment, Hassan, which is its stronghold.
More recently, the JD(S) won a mere 19 of 224 Assembly seats in May’s Karnataka elections, with its vote share dropping to 13.3 percent from 18.13 percent in 2018.
The party also lost deposits in a whopping 139 of the 209 Assembly seats it contested this year.
Several JD(S) MLAs and former lawmakers have opposed the party’s decision to form an alliance with the BJP in Karnataka for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
Gurmitkal MLA Sharangouda Kandkur, Devadurga MLA Karemma G Nayak, and other leaders have expressed discontent over the alliance to the party high command.
Kandkur told South First: “Several MLAs, former MLAs, senior leaders, and candidates who lost the Assembly polls are disappointed with this development. They are against this alliance as they are worried about their future.”
He added: “It is my personal opinion that it is not the right time to make an alliance with any political party. If the party had plans to fight the general elections along with the BJP, why did the high command not do this during the Assembly elections?”
He pointed out: “If the party had made an alliance with the BJP in Assembly polls, we might have come to power by defeating the Congress, which won a record 135 seats.”
Kandkur also said: “The 2007 political drama between the JD(S) and the BJP over power-sharing had a big impact on our party. After this episode, the party’s vote share continued to go down in all the subsequent Assembly polls, but the BJP’s vote share saw a steep increase. What is the future of JD(S) after the general elections?”
He added: “The party high command is likely to make an alliance with the BJP for the upcoming Zilla Panchayat, Taluk Panchayat, and BBMP elections. However, there is a strong rivalry between both the parties at the grassroot level in many districts.”
The MLA also noted: “If the party makes an alliance and comes out with a seat-sharing formula even for the local body elections, how will the party workers digest this? I hope that the party will reconsider its decision about this alliance for the better future of the JD(S).”
It may be noted that several senior leaders stayed away from the JD(S)’s party workers’ meeting chaired by Deve Gowda in Bengaluru on 10 September. However, none of them revealed the reasons.
The JD(S)’s Karnataka president CM Ibrahim is reportedly miffed with Deve Gowda and Kumaraswamy for forging an alliance with the BJP.
On condition of anonymity, a JD(S) MLA told South First: “JD(S) president CM Ibrahim is disappointed with the party high command’s decision… Deve Gowda and Kumaraswamy are taking all the major decisions in the party. Senior leaders are worried about their future. BS Yediyurappa announced that the BJP high command had agreed to leave four seats to the JD(S), but made a U-turn the very next day.”
It may be noted that Ibrahim recently stated that the party would fight the elections independently and not in alliance with the BJP or any other political party.
Responding to this, JD(S) leader and former minister Bandeppa Kashempur told South First: “The party high command is considering everybody’s opinion. Ibrahim was also given the opportunity to express his opinion on the matter. All the JD(S) MLAs and leaders have unanimously passed a one-line resolution that we will abide by the decision taken by Deve Gowda and Kumaraswamy for the welfare of the party for the general elections.”
He added: “The talks are still in the initial stage. The seat-sharing formula and other matters related to the Lok Sabha polls have not been finalised. We will disclose them once the decisions are made. The Assembly elections were different. The people’s pulse will differ [for the Lok Sabha elections]. We are concentrating on the general elections instead of worrying about our performance in the Assembly polls. The party will address the concerns of all those leaders that have expressed dissent over this alliance.”
Several BJP leaders, including former Hassan MLA Preetham Gowda, have also expressed disappointment over this alliance and called it “suicidal”.
They were unhappy with the party’s decision to make an alliance with the JD(S) for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections despite winning a record 25 Lok Sabha seats in 2019, claimed sources in the party.
Expressing disappointment, Gowda told South First: “It is not like I am unhappy with the party’s decision. The ground reality is party workers are not happy about this development — especially in Hassan. We did not approach the JD(S) for an alliance. They knocked on our doors for a coalition. The proposal is still under consideration. There is nothing concrete either about alliance or seat-sharing in the BJP.”
He added: “I will fight tooth and nail to get a Hassan ticket for the BJP instead of giving it to the JD(S). The BJP making an alliance with the JD(S) is suicidal for our party. I come from the Sangh Parivar. The Parivar politics is different. One needs to compromise in Parivar politics.”
He also said: “I have certain limits and boundaries. I will be with the BJP, irrespective of the outcome of the alliance. I will agree if and only if the BJP contests in all the 28 constituencies in alliance with the JD(S).”
It may be noted that the BJP won 25 out of the 28 Lok Sabha constituencies in Karnataka in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.
