Let good alliance continue to roll: JD(S) to Congress

Bengaluru: Even before the votes in Bihar elections were counted, efforts were on in the state to extend the understanding between the JD(S) and the Congress, forged for the Bengaluru mayoral polls, to future elections too.

JD(S) MLAs N. Cheluvarayaswamy and Zameer Ahmed Khan met KPCC president and Home Minister Dr G. Parameshwar last week, perhaps to test the waters.

During their informal meeting, the two MLAs broached the issue of extending the tie-up for the Legislative Council polls, where 25 members will be selected from local bodies. Members of gram panchayats, taluk panchayats and zilla panchats are the electorate in the election.

Though the JD(S) put the ball in the ruling party’s court, the Congress seems to be reluctant. “At this stage, party leaders do not seem to be in favour of extending the alliance. Since voters for this election are known, we can easily count how many seats we can win. Under the circumstances, we think it is better not to have an alliance and give our space to the JD(S),” a senior leader said.

But sources maintained that if Mr Siddaramaiah makes up his mind, the alliance will come through, as it happened in the case of Bengaluru mayoral polls. They said that the Bihar verdict will inspire the high command to direct the party state unit to go for an alliance with the JD(S) to deprive the BJP of any seats in the council polls.

Some JD(S) leaders told Deccan Chronicle that they were not in favour of the alliance. “In the council, taluk and zilla panchayat polls, we will go it alone,” a senior leader categorically said.

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