A day after the former chief minister of Karnataka HD Kumaraswamy said that his party might form an alliance with Congress, post-by-elections, the leader on Monday (November 25) said that JD(S) will support BJP for the upcoming polls on December 5.
In a public rally at Ballari district of the state, Kumaraswamy said that JD(S) is ready to support the saffron party for December 5 bypolls as he does not want the people to suffer another mid-term election. On Sunday (November 24), while campaigning for TN Javarayi Gowda at Yeshwantpur in Bengaluru, Kumaraswamy had said that his party is willing to form an alliance with the Congress after the election results are out.
JD(S) struggles to stay in power
With the new developments in Karnataka politics, it looks like the JD(S) is suffering to obtain a position to stay in power. The JD(S) leader, who earlier said that he has never promised to tie-up with the BJP or save them in the upcoming elections has now offered support to the saffron party.
However, Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa has rejected the offer claiming that BJP does not need anyone parties to support to win the bypolls. A confident Yediyurappa also said that his party will win in all 15 assembly constituencies.
BJP state general secretary Arvind Limbavali said that JD(S) offering support to the BJP shows how insecure they are. He also said that several JD(S) leaders are in touch with the party and are willing to join BJP.
JD(S) has 34 MLAs in the legislative assembly and needs to win six seats in the elections to stay in power. It is alleged that many JD(S) leaders are ready to switch sides and join BJP and offering support to the saffron party is Kumaraswamy's gambit to keep the party number intact.
The opposition leader Siddaramiah eliminated the chances of JD(S) joining hands with BJP and said that the state will likely face mid-term polls if the BJP does not win the required number of seats. The Union Minister and BJP leader DV Sadananda Gowda had claimed that both Congress and JD(S) are facing an existential crisis and the party leaders Siddaramaiah and Kumaraswamy will destroy their parties after the by-polls.
Among the 15 assembly constituencies going to by-polls, 12 were held by the Congress and 3 by the JD(S). The elections are taking place due to the collapse of the coalition government after legislators from both parties turned rebel and were disqualified from their respective parties.
