HDK's sarcasm marks JD(S) mood after bypoll debacle

The JD(S) received the biggest blow in the bypoll results on Monday, with the regional party drawing blank, let alone retain the three segments it had won last year.

Expressing his disappointment, former chief minister H D Kumaraswamy had a sharp response to the bypoll results. In a sarcastic remark, he tweeted in Kannada: “A senior BJP leader had once termed the present government as ‘disgusting’. The election results apparently demonstrates that the well-informed citizens of the 15 constituencies have validated this statement, in favour of a ‘pure’ and a ‘stable’ government. My hearty congratulations.”

Going by the results, Kumaraswamy’s sentiment does not appear exaggerated.

Earlier this year, three JD(S) rebels - K C Narayana Gowda (KR Pet), K Gopalaiah (Mahalakshmi Layout) and A H Vishwanath (Hunsur), were among the 17 rebel MLAs to have crossed over to the BJP, causing the JD(S)-Congress coalition to crumble. The regional party lost all the three seats in the bypolls.

With Gowda’s victory in KR Pet, the BJP made inroads into Mandya district, a JD(S) bastion.

The party also lost Mahalakshmi Layout where it led a fierce campaign against rebel K Gopalaiah. Further, in Hunsur, the regional party’s candidate D Somashekar lost to Congress’ H P Manjunath. Nonetheless, the failure of disqualified legislator A H Vishwanath here comes as a solace to the party. Kumaraswamy, during his campaign, had reiterated that the party intended to teach all the rebels a lesson for deserting the coalition government.

The party had pitched hopes in Yeshwantpur. It lost here too. However, its candidate Javarayi Gowda gave BJP’s S T Somashekar a run for his money.

According to sources in the party, it will be a rickety ride ahead for all of them. “The party leaders have to at least now open their eyes to the fact that people’s priorities have changed. They need to diversify soon, if they want to remain relevant in the state,” one leader said.

Political analyst D Umapathy, however, had a different view. He saw this as a temporary setback. “Bypoll results are always in favour of the incumbent government. We should not read too much into it. One must remember that JD(S) is led by someone of the stature of H D Deve Gowda. I don’t see the party losing relevance at all.”