Amid an existential crisis, the Janata Dal (Secular) party in Karnataka is reportedly showing signs of warming up to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The move is seen as a strategy to overcome the challenges the party is facing. The JDS has been losing ground in the state, with its lowest-ever seat tally of 19 seats in the last election. Furthermore, the party has been displaced as a ‘National Party’ by the Aam Aadmi Party and its vote share reportedly stands at a weak 13.9%.
The move towards the BJP is being seen by political analysts as an attempt to strengthen its position in the upcoming elections. The party’s statements and recent actions reportedly indicate that there is more happening behind the scenes than meets the eye. The party is also seeking to expand its influence in the Vokkaliga belt of Old Mysore, an area where the BJP is also looking to increase its foothold.
Sources report that an open tie-up between the JDS and BJP may not be in the interests of either party, and suggest a subtle understanding between them would be the best option. This is not the first time the two parties have reportedly worked together. In the 2018 assembly election in Chamundeshwari, the BJP is believed to have transferred its votes to the JDS, with GT Deve Gowda polling 1.21 lakh votes.
Despite this, it remains unclear whether the JDS will tie up with the BJP or enter into some sort of understanding. However, party analysts believe an understanding with the BJP could help ensure its survival in the elections and prevent it from becoming irrelevant.
The party’s patriarch, HD Deve Gowda, is reportedly the driving force behind the JDS’ recent bonhomie with the BJP. Gowda has sensed the vacuum in the state BJP leadership, and moved in to fill the gap. He recently participated in the inauguration of the new Parliament building, in spite of other opposition parties and his old friends shunning the event. Gowda’s actions indicate the JDS–BJP relationship is quite robust and could help secure the party’s future in Karnataka.
