JD(S) sits tight as it fights for relevance  

BENGALURU:  I will not be the kingmaker, I will be the king this time,” is probably the most repeated statement of JD(S) state president H D Kumaraswamy this election season. Caught between the blitzkrieg campaigns of the two national parties, H D Deve Gowda’s party is fighting a battle for relevance in this assembly election. All opinion polls have predicted that JD(S) will finish third in the polls while the party itself has been trying hard to shake off the perception that it is no match for Congress or the Bharatiya Janata Party. On Saturday, when Karnataka goes to polls, the JD(S) will sit tight hoping to emerge a kingmaker, if not a king. 

Despite winning 40 seats in the 2013 assembly election, JD(S) is reduced to a mere 29 seats in the Karnataka assembly today thanks to infighting and rebellion. In the hope of bettering its fortunes this time around, the party has made a pre-poll pact with the BSP for 18 seats and has got the backing of Asaduddin Owaisi’s AIMIM. 

While the BJP and the Congress deployed its big guns from across the country as star campaigners, JD(S)’ campaign heavily depended upon H D Deve Gowda and H D Kumaraswamy with a seasoning of BSP chief Mayawati and AIMIM chief Owaisi. Kumaraswamy, who toured select districts thrice in the last few months. 

“The inability to build a long-term structure for the party is the JD(S)’ biggest weakness. The family-centric structure cannot create the role of a larger political party,” said political analyst Narendra Pani of the National Institute of Advanced Studies. JD(S) leaders somewhat agree. “Our biggest advantage is H D Kumaraswamy and the governance he gave as Chief Minister. The lack of second-rung leaders is our biggest disadvantage,” said Naveen C, the social media in-charge of JD(S). 

The JD(S) — that has remained out of power since 2008 — is fighting for relevance. 
The fight to remain a significant political power comes at a time when the probability of a third front is being discussed at the national level. With other players like Telangana Rashtriya Samithi, Trinamool Congress being in positions of power, JD(S) cannot afford to lose out on its bargaining chip.