Help us win RS seat, or will withdraw support in BBMP: JD(S) to Cong

Having unsuccessfully tried to persuade the Congress to support its candidate in the Rajya Sabha polls from the state, the JD(S) has now resorted to arm-twisting tactics.

The JD(S) on Saturday threatened to withdraw its support to the Congress in the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) Council if the ruling party fails to drop its plan to field a third candidate during the Rajya Sabha elections.  

The Congress is planning to win three of the four Rajya Sabha seats from the state, for which elections are scheduled to be held on March 23.

With the last date for filing nominations nearing (March 12), the JD(S), which is keen on fielding a candidate, is getting quite desperate.

JD(S) spokesperson and MLC T A Sharavana told DH that his party was merely exercising its "right" in placing such a demand.

"When the Congress demanded that we extend support to it in the BBMP, the JD(S) conceded. Now, we are demanding that the Congress does not field its third candidate," added Sharavana.

The JD(S), with its 14 corporators has extended support to the Congress for three years in the BBMP. The BBMP Council has two more years left.

The JD(S) is planning to field businessman B M Farooq, who has already had the misfortune of facing an embarrassing defeat in the 2016 Rajya Sabha polls.

Sharavana said that the JD(S) would wait for the Congress to respond to its demand till March 10. The JD(S) leadership has entrusted its Rajya Sabha MP Kupendra Reddy to hold negotiations with the Congress. "I will be going to New Delhi after March 5 for Parliament session. I will try and meet the AICC general secretaries, including K C Venugopal. The JD(S) is hopeful of a positive outcome," Reddy told DH.

In the 225-member Assembly, the Congress has 122 MLAs on its side, while the BJP has 43. Though the JD(S) has 37 MLAs, 7 of its rebel MLAs have pledged support to the Congress. A candidate requires approximately 45 votes to win the election, and the Congress is hoping to win the third seat with the help of the seven JD(S) rebels and some Independent legislators.