Bengaluru: Coalition partners Congress and JD(S) are keen to explore setting up a pact for the 2019 Lok Sabha polls with the Congress set to contest 18 of the 28 seats and the JD(S), 10 but no such alliance may be struck for the urban local body (ULB) polls to be held on August 29.
Of the 105 ULBs spread across 22 districts, the JD(S) is strong in five districts including Hassan, Mandya and Tumakuru and partially strong in Chitradurga and Chamarajanagar. Deve Gowda's party does not have much of a presence in the remaining districts.
In this situation, no pan-Karnataka pact is possible in these polls with the
Congress leadership likely to leave it to local leaders to decide on tying up with the JD(S) wherever it considers such tie-ups necessary. In fact in the past, there have been local body polls where the JD(S) and BJP have teamed up to beat the Congress.
The issue figured at the dinner meeting hosted by former CM Siddaramaiah Wednesday night. Sources said there is a possibility of the party announcing its list of candidates, anticipating the JD(S) to follow suit and also support Congress candidates wherever the party is strong.
