There could not have been a better time than now to gain such an upper hand over its coalition partner, BJP, as well as Congress. JD (S) leader H D Kumaraswamy has every reason to smile.

JD (S) is now the single largest party to win maximum number of seats in ULB polls. It has secured 1,440 of the total 4,998 seats, pushing Congress to the second position.

In the last ULB polls, the party had won a meagre 415 out of the 3,400 seats. It was in the fourth position.
The victory has come as a boost to the party at a time when it has locked horns with BJP over power transfer. Results, therefore, will increase the bargaining power for party supremo H D Deve Gowda, who may set mo conditions for the BJP to realise its dream of installing the first chief minister in a south Indian state.

Though Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy denied results would impact State politics, it will definitely give strength to a group of legislators who are against handing over power to BJP and favour a fresh mandate.
One of the party’s top leaders told Deccan Herald most MLAs favour mid-term polls. A discussion on this is likely to figure prominently in the crucial JD(S) Legislature Party meeting on Monday. The party has officially said it will seek its MLAs’ views on power transfer.

“MLAs’ decision is final. We will discuss the issue in the JD(S)-LP meeting,” the Chief Minister told reporters here.
The ULB results have also helped the party claim its hold on urban areas too; hitherto, JD(S) was known to be strong only in rural areas. “Results have proved electorate in urban areas area are impressed with the party’s performance,” State President Mirajuddin Patel said.

JD (S) KITTY
Total seats  -   4,998
Contested   -   4,073
Won           -   1,440 *
(* Incomplete)

JD (S)

*Youth CM’s achievements    
*CM’s simplicity  
*Pro-people programmes                                                         
*Party’s secular image
*Overall development of State
*Improved infrastructure
*Adopted Kayakave Kailasa philosophy
*Results more than expected


CONGRESS

*Proved presence across State
*Our achievement against odds
*Managed polls without sufficient funds
*People are coming to Congress
*A ruling party has more advantage
*JDS liberally distributed money, liquor

BJP

*Impact of programmes announced by Yediyurappa in two budgets
*People have approved the coalition set up of 20 months
*People convinced that BJP is a performing party
*BJP succeeded in making inroads into places where it had no base
*We suffered setback in old Mysore, Hubli-Dharwad, Mumbai-Hyderabad Karnataka regions