Deve Gowda meets PM Modi, JD(S)-BJP alliance likely for Karnataka MLC polls

Amid speculation that Janata Dal (Secular) and the BJP may forge a pre-poll alliance for the December 10 election to the Karnataka Legislative Council, the upper house of the bicameral legislature, JD(S) supremo H D Deve Gowda held talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday.

Gowda said: “We discussed the MLC polls and I told Modi that leaders from JD(S) and BJP in Karnataka have to decide on forging an alliance.”

Recently former Karnataka chief minister B S Yediyurappa said he had sought the support of JD(S) in seats where it is not contesting. “BJP will soon decide and request JD(S) for their support in the polls,” the former CM had said.

Former prime minister @H_D_Devegowda meets Prime Minister @narendramodi during ongoing winter session of the Parliament. pic.twitter.com/A3GpJ5FXmF

— Darshan Devaiah B P (@DarshanDevaiahB) November 30, 2021

The December 10 election will be held in 20 local body regions whose existing members are set to retire in January. The JD(S) is contesting in only six seats while the BJP and Congress are contesting in all 20.

Reacting to these developments, Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Wednesday told reporters in Dharwad: “Modi and Deve Gowda have discussed the MLC polls and soon BS Yediyurappa and JD(S) leader HD Kumaraswamy will take a decision on this.”

Currently, the BJP holds 32 seats in the 75-member house; Congress 29 and the JD(S) 12. The BJP is currently dependent on the JDS to push the legislation through the council and is keen to wrest total control of the upper house.

A total of 121 candidates have filed 215 nominations, according to the election commission and the counting will take place on December 14.