BENGALURU: The JD(S), which wanted to forge a
grand alliance for the
May 12 assembly polls, is now in a dilemma over joining hands with parties like
Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and
All-India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM).
A proposal to get the Left parties on board is also hanging fire with consensus over seat-sharing remaining elusive.
After striking a deal with Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), JD(S) wanted to ally with the Sharad Pawar-led NCP to bolster its chances in Mumbai-Karnataka and also play a key role in the general elections next year. But with Pawar hobnobbing with Maharashtra Ekikarana Samiti (MES) in Belagavi, JD(S) now wants to keep its distance from his party.
“We have great regard for Pawar. But after his overtures to MES, it would be difficult to have a tie-up with NCP. We can only be good friends,” said JD(S) working president PGR Sindhia.
“With the Belagavi dispute remaining unsolved for decades and political parties keeping it alive for electoral gain, JD(S) can’t be seen with forces fighting for the merger of Belagavi and Maharashtra,” said S Mahadeva Prakash, political analyst.
Efforts by JD(S) to tie up with Left parties too have run aground. While CPI has preferred to back Congress, JD(S) has been unable to reach a consensus with CPM over seat-sharing. JD(S) has already announced its candidate for Bagepalli from where CPM is keen to field its senior leader, G V Srirama Reddy. Sindhia, however, said talks with CPM are still on.
Sources in JD(S) said while party president H D Kumaraswamy is enthusiastic about joining hands with MIM, party supremo Deve Gowda has advised against it, given the Hyderabadbased party’s communal image.
The seat-sharing formula with BSP, however, has almost been finalized, and JD(S) is reportedly willing to spare it six seats. Meanwhile, Samajwadi Party (SP) has sent feelers to JD(S), with an alliance proposal. JD(S) sources said SP leader Mulayam Singh Yadav had spoken to Gowda and talks were under way on seat-sharing.
“The scenario will be clear in a week as leaders of both the parties are in talks,” said Robin Mathew, state president of SP, after releasing the party’s first list of candidates on Sunday. SP has announced candidates for 10 constituencies, including Channapatna, Madikeri, Pavagada, Ballari City and T Narasipura.
ALTAF KHAN FROM CHAMARAJPET?
In a bid to retain the Chamarajpet assembly seat, JD(S) is looking to field a Muslim candidate from the constituency in the wake of incumbent MLA Zameer Ahmad Khan deserting the party and joining the Congress. While Zameer will be the Congress candidate from the constituency, JD(S) is reportedly toying with the idea of taking Congress leader Altaf Khan into its fold and fielding him. Altaf will join JD(S) on Monday.
