Bengaluru: JD(S) lures leaders with 2018 poll bait

Bengaluru: The JD(S), which lacks a second line leadership in the state, is hoping to use the coming zilla and taluk panchayat polls to do this by promising local leaders tickets in the 2018 Assembly elections.

Unlike the Congress and BJP, the JD(S) has failed to groom a second rung because of the concentration of power in the Gowda family.  This has been one of the major complaints of a few legislators against party leaders. 

The JD(S) was solely dependent on former PM H.D. Deve Gowda and son, H.D. Kumaraswamy, who holds the post of state president, for the campaign and for finalizing candidates for the elections.

During a meeting here last week, Mr Gowda is learnt to have given a free hand to local leaders to take a lead in the ZP/TP polls saying enterprising persons will be given tickets to contest the 2018 polls.

However, it remains to be seen whether Mr Gowda or Mr Kumaraswamy keep their promise of giving tickets to these leaders during the next Assembly polls.

‘No party fund’ Mr Gowda has made it clear his party is not rich enough to give funds to the contesting candidates to spend on polls.

Tickets will be given to those who voluntarily come forward to meet poll expenses without asking for anything from the party.
No manifesto
Sources said the party did not have plans to come out with an election manifesto to woo rural masses on account of 'financial' problems. The by-elections cannot be termed a 'mini-battle' as it usually goes in favour of the ruling party. The JD(S) cannot afford to spend lakhs of rupees on the printing the manifesto which does not matter in this election. This election is fought on local issues and candidates who are rich and influential wins hands down, said a source. The focus of JD(S) will be to retain four ZPs which it won in 2010. "We don't have high expectation...we feel happy if  we win the number of seats we won in previous ZP,TP polls," sources noted.