Bengaluru: Notwithstanding the severe blow it suffered two years ago, the JD(S) has reportedly decided to test the Congress attitude towards it by seeking help to get its candidate elected in polls to the Rajya Sabha, scheduled to be held on March 23.
During the last biennial election, the Congress succeeded in luring eight MLAs of the JD(S) to its side to ensure Congress supported candidate K.C.Ramamurthy got elected to the Rajya Sabha. JD(S) nominee Mr Farooq suffered an embarrassing defeat and the eight MLAs were suspended from the party.
JD(S) State President Mr H.D. Kumaraswamy admitted that he had sought Congress help to get one candidate from his party elected to the Rajya Sabha. “We don't have the requisite numbers, so I have spoken to Congress leaders in Delhi. It is upto them to take a decision, whether to support us or not. If they support us, the channels for talks if no party gets a majority in the Assembly polls, would be open,'' he said.
Mr Kumaraswamy also said that the party had not decided on the Rajya Sabha candidate. “We can finalise the candidate only if we get the numbers,'' he added.
Sources said the move by the JD(S), which has been talking of a secular front to take on the BJP, has put the Congress in a fix. Chief Minister Mr Siddaramaiah's animosity towards the JD(S) may not allow the Congress to have any tie-up with Mr Deve Gowda’s party, they said. Besides, if the Congress extends a helping hand, it would be indirectly admitting its inability to come back to power on its own.
However, leader like KPCC President Dr G Parameshwar are in favor of going soft on the JD(S), so that there could be an option for a post-poll alliance. The party high command is however helpless as it cannot take a decision without consulting the CM.
Sources in the JD(S) said that the party has not cleared anyone for the RS poll though the name of Mr Farooq has been doing the rounds again. The JD(S) has only 30 votes in the Assembly and is short of 15 votes to ensure the victory of its candidate which is why it is looking to the Congress.
