Karnataka Polls: HD Kumaraswamy offers pact, but with conditions

Anticipating a fractured mandate, JD(S) legislature party leader H D Kumaraswamy said he is ready to enter into an alliance with either the BJP or Congress depending on which party fulfils his conditions.

Kumaraswamy’s offer is in the context of seven out of 10 exit polls coming out on poll day on Wednesday indicating a fractured mandate while showing Congress as the single-largest party.

Speaking to DH before leaving for Singapore for a quick break before counting day (Saturday), Kumaraswamy described the exit polls -- several of them project a major climbdown for the JD(S) -- as manipulative.

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“I am still confident of winning 50 seats. This time, I will go with the party that agrees to fulfil my conditions,” Kumaraswamy told DH.

Kumaraswamy’s conditions stem from the hiccups he faced when he became the chief minister twice under coalition governments, once with the BJP (2006) and then Congress (2018). This time, he wants to ensure that his conditions are met before signing up for an alliance.

Broadly, Kumaraswamy’s condition is that as the chief minister he should have a free hand to run the government.

Specifically, Kumaraswamy wants JD(S) lawmakers to get plum portfolios like water resources, power and public works. He is firm that his coalition partner should allow him to implement promises made in the JD(S) manifesto.

Kumaraswamy does not want a coalition coordination committee, a mechanism that was set up in 2018 when he joined hands with the Congress. He also wants his coalition partner to steer clear of Mandya and Hassan -- the JD(S) territories. No ideology-related decisions to be made without discussion is another condition.

According to JD(S) sources, the party’s national president H D Deve Gowda who shares a good rapport with national leaders of both BJP and Congress will take a final decision on forming a coalition.

Kumaraswamy had predicted a fractured mandate on a couple of occasions in the run-up to the Assembly election this time. In December 2022, Kumaraswamy had warned the BJP saying the saffron party would have to go to him after the 2023 polls. Then, in March, Kumaraswamy claimed that had received “feelers” from the high commands of both BJP and Congress, which was corroborated by Deve Gowda as well.

Karnataka had a fractured mandate in 2018, 2008 and 2004, resulting in coalition governments and the attendant political instability.