The BJP and JDS formed a coalition government in Karnataka in 2006.
New Delhi:
The Janata Dal Secular (JDS), stunned by its worst-ever performance in the recent elections in Karnataka, is leaning towards the BJP and has sent feelers for an alliance for the 2024 national elections, sources say.
The JDS, which won just one of Karnataka’s 28 Lok Sabha seats in the 2019 election, sent feelers to the BJP weeks after the assembly’s election results.
The Congress scored a major victory in Karnataka’s polls, dethroning the ruling BJP and dashing the JDS’s hopes of playing kingmaker. JDS won only 19 of 224 seats and was reduced to irrelevant due to a clear public mandate.
The JDS, led by former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda and his son HD Kumaraswamy, reportedly sees an opportunity to defeat the Congress and save its vote base if it aligns itself with the BJP, its one-time ally.
The BJP and JDS formed a coalition government in Karnataka in 2006 with Mr. Kumaraswamy as Chief Minister and Mr. BS Yediyurappa as his deputy, under a 20-month power-sharing formula. The coalition was short-lived as the JDS failed to hand over power to the BJP.
There are several indications that the JDS is once again attracted to his former partner.
The most notable clue was Deve Gowda’s strong defense of the Union Minister of Railways, Ashwini Vaishnaw, when he faced resignation demands from other opposition parties following the Odisha train crash that killed 288 people.
“The Minister of Railways has taken all necessary steps to repair the damage incurred. He is working tirelessly. Let the investigation be completed. The Minister is doing his best and demanding his resignation at this stage is not wise,” said the former Prime Minister. . .
Deve Gowda was also the notable exception, as other opposition leaders boycotted the opening of the new parliament building.
Another giveaway was Mr Gowda’s comment on Tuesday questioning the prospect of an opposition alliance against the BJP.
“I can analyze the politics of this country in detail, what’s the point? Show me one party that is not directly or indirectly affiliated with BJP. Show me one party across the country and I will answer” said Mr Gowda. said to a question about Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s efforts to rally non-BJP parties.
Gowda also avoided directly answering questions about whether his party would join such a front. “Who is common and who is not common, I don’t know. First, the definition of common and non-common — if it can be expanded, then the scope is a lot…” he said.
Mr Gowda was also showered with birthday wishes from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other BJP leaders when he turned 91 last month.
