JD(S), BJP to field a common candidate

The Janata Dal Secular and the BJP, ruling coalition partners in Karnataka, will field a common candidate to fight former JDS leader...

The Janata Dal Secular and the BJP, ruling coalition partners in Karnataka, will field a common candidate to fight former JDS leader and Congress candidate Siddaramaiah in the crucial December 4 Assembly byelection, Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy (of JDS) and deputy CM BS Yediyurappa (BJP) announced today.

The coalition has decided that a JDS candidate will take on the former deputy CM in the Chamundeshwari constituency in Mysore district.

The December 4 election will be the first jointly fought for the JDS-BJP combine since the JDS broke ties with the Congress

and allied with the BJP to form the current government in January 2006.

Story continues below this ad

“The two parties have decided to fight the election together to set a new precedent in Karnataka politics. This is an arrangement only for the December elections, the future of this electoral partnership will be decided after the polls,’’ Kumaraswamy said.

He said the BJP’s acceptance of a JDS candidate for the election was unconditional. In exchange, the JDS has not given any consent to allow the Sangh Parivar to hold a procession at the disputed Datta Peeta shrine in Chikamagalur, Kumaraswamy said. “That is an issue that is related to the BJP ideology, as a party we are not connected with it,’’ the Chief Minister said.

“Chamundeshwari constituency was held by JDS earlier so we decided to let them contest the byelection,’’ deputy CM BS Yediyurappa said. “We want to see this coalition government complete 40 months, that is why we have arrived at this consensus. The JDS wanted to field their candidate,’’ said state BJP president Sadananda Gowda.