Karnataka - Bangalore   

BJP, JD(S) may forge alliance for Council polls

A Jayaram

JD(S) may not field candidates against two Ministers

BANGALORE: The coalition partners in the State, the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Janata Dal (Secular), which completed 100 days in office on Saturday, are exploring the possibility of forging an alliance for the elections to the Legislative Council.

The coordination committee of the two parties, which met here on Saturday for the first time, is stated to have considered the issue.

Whether the alliance will be forged or otherwise, the Janata Dal (Secular) has almost decided against fielding its candidates against two of the Ministers who are contesting the Council elections — D.H. Shankaramurthy (Higher Education) and Ramachandra Gowda (Planning, Science and Technology).

While Mr. Shankaramurthy is seeking re-election from the Karnataka South-West Graduates' constituency, Mr. Ramachandra Gowda is contesting from the Bangalore Graduates' constituency.

The Janata Dal (Secular) leaders have come to the view that as the two BJP veterans are members of the Cabinet, it would be imprudent for it, being one of the ruling parties, to contest against them. The notifications for elections to the Upper House for 11 seats to be filled by the Legislative Assembly and three graduates' and three teachers' constituencies will be issued on Monday. While the elections from the Assembly constituency will be held on June 1, those for the graduates' and teachers' seats on June 8.

The leaders of the two coalition partners are considering ways of sharing the seats for which elections will be held from the Legislative Assembly. There is the view that being the bigger party the BJP should be allotted five out of the 11 seats and the Janata Dal (Secular) three. The remaining three seats would be bagged by the Congress. The coalition partners are also considering filling the three vacant seats in the Council through nomination at the earliest, even before the Council elections.

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