No tie-up with Cong for ULB polls: Gowda

The JD(S) will go it alone in polls to all Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) including the 11 city corporations, party national president H D Deve Gowda said on Sunday.

Speaking to reporters in Bengaluru after holding a meeting to review the party’s preparedness for the Lok Sabha polls in Bengaluru, Gowda said there will be no tie-up with the Congress for the ULB polls.

Gowda’s statement comes at a time when the alliance partners in the coalition government in the state – the Congress and the JD(S) – are in talks on sharing seats for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.

The JD(S) will go it alone in 11 city corporations – Bengaluru, Mysuru, Belagavi, Huballi-Dharwad, Mangaluru, Shivamogga, Kalaburagi, Tumakuru, Ballari, Davanagere and Vijayapura. “If there is a hung verdict then we will come to an understanding with the Congress on selecting the mayor,” Gowda said.

He said party workers were against any pre-poll tie-up for elections to local bodies.

Replying to a query, Gowda said the priority of the Mahagatabhandan (coalition of parties at the national level for the Lok Sabha polls) was to dislodge the BJP from power at the Centre. “Who will become prime minister can be discussed later,” he said.