Karnataka Assembly elections: is JD(S) having a secret alliance with BJP?

Bengaluru, March 22: While the Janata Dal (Secular) or JD(S) has officially made alliances with the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) for the upcoming Karnataka Assembly elections, Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday made some "startling allegations".

Rahul during his two-day long Janashirvada Yatre in Hassan alleged that the JD(S) has some sort of secret pact with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The Congress chief added that the JD(S) is working to ensure the BJP's victory in the upcoming elections. "The JD(S) is working as the BJP's assistant in this election. They are working with all their dedication to ensure the BJP's victory. But all this won't work as the Congress is going to win the elections in Karnataka," Rahul was quoted as saying by ANI. The elections to the 224-member Karnataka Assembly are likely to take place between the last week of April and the first week of May. Back in 2006, the JD(S) and the BJP came together to form a coalition government in Karnataka.

However, currently, the JD(S) has an alliance with the BJP in the Upper House of the Karnataka legislature. The party also has a tie-up with the Congress in the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), the Bengaluru civic body. Recently, former Karnataka chief minister and JD(S) leader HD Kumaraswamy said the Congress had come to his party's doorsteps for tie-ups to get power in the BBMP and during the by-election held for Nanjangud Assembly constituency. Political experts say that the JD(S) will play an important role in the government formation in Karnataka after the election gets over. Experts add that no political party is likely to get an absolute majority. "In that scenario, the JD(S) will be once again the 'kingmaker' in Karnataka," said a political scientist.