JOIN USBut the Congress and the JD(S) are not so comfortable. Both the parties are still contemplating on having a pre-poll understanding despite having a common goal of defeating the BJP.
In fact, some of the Congress leaders are of the view that they should directly meet AICC president Sonia Gandhi and request her to allow the party to have a tie-up with the JD(S).
In the LS elections, though the JD(S) showed its willingness to have an understanding with the Congress, the latter did not respond positively. But once the results went in favour of the BJP, then the Congress leaders including R V Deshpande pointed out that the Congress should have had a tie-up with the JD(S).
The Congress, on Monday, held a meeting of the party’s senior leaders to work out strategies for the elections. Deshpande told press persons there was neither a proposal from the JD(S) for an alliance nor the Congress had approached the JD(S).
He said according to the party observers’ reports on Govindarajnagar, Channapatna and Kollegal, there are six to seven aspirants for the ticket in each constituency. The reports are expected from Chittapur and Ramanagar. Jaffer Sharief, S Bangarappa, Siddaramaiah, G Parameshwar and others attended the meeting.
JD(S) supremo H D Deve Gowda may take a decision on July 24. “If the Congress is willing, then we would like to contest the Ramanagar, Kollegal and Channapatna seats, while leaving the other two to them,” a JD(S) leader said.
The BJP will not lose its strength in the Assembly even if it draws a blank, which is unlikely. The elections are being held for the seats, which were not held by the BJP. But for the BJP, winning the Govindarajnagar seat is a prestige issue as Minister V Somanna is the candidate.