JDS-BJP alliance in Karnataka to face first test in Bangalore Teachers’ constituency bypoll on Friday
While Congress has fielded four-time ex-MLC P Puttanna, JD(S) has picked A P Ranganath, the president of its legal cell, for the Bangalore Teachers’ constituency bypoll on February 16.
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The polls from the teachers’ constituencies for the Upper House in the state legislature involve voting by teachers registered to vote in the polls. (Representational Photo)A new alliance formed by the BJP and the Janata Dal (Secular) in Karnataka for the Lok Sabha polls will undergo its first major test of unity in a Legislative Council bye-election for the Bangalore Teachers’ constituency on February 16.
As part of the adjustments for the alliance to work effectively in the run-up to the Lok Sabha polls, the BJP has conceded the Bangalore Teachers’ constituency seat to the JD(S) following a request by the latter. The seat was given to the JDS in January following a meeting of the state leaders of the two parties.
The polls from the teachers’ constituencies for the Upper House in the state legislature involve voting by teachers registered to vote in the polls. The bypoll has been necessitated due to the resignation of the former Bangalore Teachers’ constituency BJP MLC P Puttanna last year to contest the state Assembly polls on a Congress ticket. Puttanna won the constituency on four consecutive occasions –thrice from the JD(S) and once from the BJP.
The JD(S) has fielded A P Ranganath, the long-time president of its legal cell, as its candidate. Though he lost previously in the constituency on a JD(S) ticket, Ranganath is hoping that the support of the BJP will see him through.
The Congress has fielded four-time former MLC Puttanna after he lost the Assembly polls from the Rajajinagar constituency. Puttanna is considered to have mastered the strategy of getting the requisite support from registered teachers in Bengaluru.
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has said that despite the BJP-JD(S) alliance, the Congress will win the seat. “This constituency is the one where Puttanna had resigned to contest the Assembly elections. He is contesting for the fifth time. In the past, he has defeated the BJP and the JD(S). He has the support of the teachers and has also won their hearts and this has helped him win the constituency four times in a row,” Siddaramaiah said.
The outcome of the polls will not have a bearing on the Legislative Council where the BJP-JDS combine has a clear majority in the 75-member House – BJP (34), Congress (29), JD(S) (8), Independent (1), one chairman plus two vacancies.
The second vacancy in the house is on account of the resignation of Congress MLC and former BJP chief minister Jagadish Shettar who quit last month to return to the BJP.
The BJP and JD(S) are in talks for sharing the 28 Lok Sabha seats in Karnataka with the BJP initially offering three seats amid JD(S)’s request for five seats.
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