Eyeing 2023 poll win, JDS to recharge party

BENGALURU: The JDS has unleashed an ambitious plan to come to power on its own in the 2023 assembly polls. Its strategy  --- build the party cadres, strengthen its grassroots network in the state, identify youngsters and groom them, and have people connect programmes.  Smarting under a series of poll debacles, the Janata Dal (Secular) has come out with this strategy, necessary for its coming back to power.  While party patriarch H D Deve Gowda and his son HD Kumaraswamy are the undisputed leaders, the party has now realised it has to nurture young leaders.

Speaking  to TNIE, Kumaraswamy, who has been the CM twice, said, “This is a plan to enable us to come to power on our own strength. We will identify five issues now and implement them when we come to power. We will execute the programmes to everyone’s satisfaction.’’ He said, “We lost in about 30 plus seats narrowly because of what the Congress did with the voting pattern of Muslim community.’’

Deputy leader in the Assembly Bandeppa Kashempur said, “The 50-lakh plus Muslims have normally voted either for Congress or JDS depending on the winability factor of the candidate. But in  2018, they didn’t vote for us, instead they supported only  Congress, giving BJP an edge. Had they voted for us like before, we would’ve won more seats ... we narrowly finished second and in those places Congress came third.’’

Youth leaders
The JDS will select young leaders and groom them to work in their constituencies over the next two years. Kumaraswamy said, “The first of the programmes will take off in Bidadi where workshops will be held over two days.’’

Eye on Kalyana Karnataka
Kumaraswamy, who held a meeting in Sedam on Thursday, will have two more meetings in the Kalyana Karnataka region in the next two months --  one in Chincholi on March 17 and in Afzalpur on March 24. The idea is to regain control of Kalyana Karnataka which has 39 seats.     

The party has identified 100 plus seats where it has the potential to win. Party state president H K Kumaraswamy said, “Power is not permanent for anybody. We will tour the state and build our cadres again. In Raichur and Bijapur we have two seats each and we will build on it.’’ The Congress and the BJP are warily watching JDS’ moves --- if that party crosses 50 seats, it means there could be a coalition again.