JD(S) to fight Bengaluru civic polls alongside BJP

Decision follows Maha Yuti’s win in Mumbai elections.

Putting an end to the uncertainty over their alliance fighting the polls to the five municipal bodies in Bengaluru, the JD(S) confirmed that it would fight the elections, likely to be held before June 30, alongside the BJP.

Confirming that the allies would fight the local polls together, Union Minister and Karnataka JD(S) president H D Kumaraswamy said, “There is no confusion. We have made up our mind, and will continue our alliance with the BJP, and contest the Bengaluru local polls together.”

On Friday, JD(S) convened a meeting attended by the party’s legislators from Bengaluru, and chaired by party supremo and former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda, and Kumaraswamy, wherein the party leadership decided on continuing its alliance with the BJP. In fact, the regional party arrived at this decision within a few hours of the announcement of the BJP-led Maha Yuti alliance’s victory in the Mumbai local elections.

There had been considerable confusion around whether the JD(S) would extend its alliance with the BJP to the local level. In fact, Deve Gowda’s remark about his party contesting local body polls by itself only added fuel to the speculation. However, the former PM had made no mention of Bengaluru in his statement, thereby leaving a question mark over whether the allies would contest the polls in the state capital together.  

Sources said that party leaders had been instructed by Kumaraswamy against discussing the alliance in public. “Any misunderstanding between the allies at the grassroots are to be brought to the notice of the party leadership,” a source said.

In the wake of the Maha Yuti’s victory in Mumbai, Kumaraswamy is reportedly optimistic about the alliance’s chances in Bengaluru. “Kumaraswamy has asked all party leaders and workers to work with the BJP and ensure the NDA’s victory in the five local bodies across Bengaluru,” another source said.

The Union Minister also reportedly called upon his party colleagues to raise awareness among the public about the various infrastructure woes plaguing Bengaluru including the city’s pothole-riddled roads. Deve Gowda, meanwhile, is learnt to have urged the party leaders to educate citizens of Bengaluru about the contributions he has made to the growth of the city, both as the Chief Minister and PM.

Although the JD(S) has clarified its stance on fighting the Bengaluru local polls together, no decision has been taken on whether the two parties will contest elections to Zilla Panchayats, Taluk Panchayats, and other urban local bodies together.