Cong leaders oppose truck with JD(S) in BBMP polls

Plan to petition Sonia Gandhi soon

At present no Congress leader is ready to openly oppose the party having a poll understanding with the JD(S). But the fact remains that Congressmen do not want to do anything with the JD(S) for the BBMP elections. The reason is simple - the JD(S) has no base in Bangalore and it was proved well in the last Lok Sabha elections.

Moreover, the JD(S) is seen as an anti-urban and anti-Bangalore and anti-development party. On many occasions, both the JD(S) leaders H D Deve Gowda and his son H D Kumaraswamy have given statements against the development of Bangalore, sources in the Congress said.

In the last LS elections, three JD(S) candidates unsuccessfully contested from three Bangalore constituencies. Of the nearly 45 lakh votes, the three JD(S) candidates managed to garner less than two lakh votes. The Party has hardly any base in the central Bangalore, while it does have some influence over Kengeri and Uttarahalli areas. The Congress, unlike the JD(S), has candidates almost in all the 198 wards.

In case the Congress accommodates a JD(S) candidate in a ward, then there is bound to be a rebel Congress candidate in the fray. Usually, victory margin is very thin in case of local body elections. “Instead of inviting trouble by sacrificing our party candidates, it will be wise not have an alliance with the JD(S) for BBMP elections,” a Congress leader said.

In case of the Council elections, it was advantageous for both the parties to have tie-up because both did not have strength to perform well on their own, sources said.

A ploy?

The State leaders, by and large, are of the view that but for the pressure exerted by RS members Oscar Fernandes and B K Hariprasad, on the high command, the party would have maintained a distance from the JD(S) for the council polls, sources said.

“The term of Oscar and Hariprasad as RS members will end in June. The Congress and the JD(S) can jointly send two candidates to RS from Karnataka. So both the leaders are keen on having a tie-up with the JD(S) for their advantage. But should the party lose its identity by joining hands with it, which hardly has 27 MLAs? We will meet Sonia Gandhi soon and explain our stand,” a Congress leader said.