Saffron sting: JD(S)-BJP in secret LC poll pact

Bengaluru: Despite fevered speculation that the JD(S) supremo H D Deve Gowda and Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had come to an agreement to keep the BJP out, the exact opposite is in the works - the BJP and JD(S) have reportedly entered a secret pact in the December 27 elections to the upcoming Legislative Council in more than half the 25 seats that are going to polls. This comes barely a few months after JD(S) backed the Congress to defeat BJP in the Bengaluru mayoral polls!

Both BJP and JD(S) have a lot to gain from such a pact which could lead to the defeat of Congress candidates. Currently, the Council chairman is the BJP's D.H. Shankaramurthy while Mr Marithibbe Gowda of JD(S) is the vice-chairman. If the Congress were to win more seats, there would be a power shift in the Council and the two parties may even lose these posts.

A majority in the Upper House would help the Congress push through crucial legislation without hassles - something, neither of the Opposition parties want to happen.

Sources told this newspaper that Janata Dal (Secular) state president H.D. Kumaraswamy has instructed his party's local body members to support BJP candidates in constituencies where the JD(S) has not fielded one. Mr Deve Gowda's party is confident of winning five Council seats - Mysuru, Mandya, Hassan, Bengaluru Rural and Tumakuru.

The BJP has offered support to JD(S) in Bengaluru Rural in return for JD(S) votes in Bengaluru Urban constituency.  The pact with Janata Dal (Secular) is expected to help BJP win more seats than expected in constituencies in North Karnataka especially Belagavi, Bagalkot, Vijayapura and Bidar.  Opposition Chief Whip in the Council Ganesh Karnik told this newspaper that BJP would like to win 15 seats but would be happy if it won 9-12.

The party has fielded single candidates in five double seat constituencies where all of them are expected to sail through. These are Dakshina Kannada, Dharwad, Belagavi, Vijayapura and Mysuru. "In single seats, the party is likely to win Bidar, Kodagu, Chikkamagaluru, Shivamogga, Bellary and Chitradurga,” Mr Karnik said.

The Congress is confident of winning five seats in the double seat constituencies besides 6- 7 single seat constituencies. Sources said the party is likey to romp home in Mandya, Bengaluru Rural, Bellary, Chikkamagaluru, Chitradurga and Bidar.  The public campaign for the Council elections ended on Friday evening.

HDK’s flip-flop

JD(S) state president H.D. Kumaraswamy said local leaders have been given the freedom to support any party (read BJP) in places where it has not fielded candidates. He told Deccan Chronicle that his workers were ‘unofficially’ working for saffron party candidates in Bengaluru Rural, Bengaluru Urban and Raichur where JD(S) candidates are not in the fray.

Mr Kumaraswamy said his party had struck an understanding with the Congress in previous elections because of which the latter could win more seats. Now, the situation has changed and his party is determined to defeat Congress candidates wherever possible even if it meant striking a ‘secret pact’ with BJP.

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