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JD(S) draws a blank; HDK slams Congress
Niyaz Shaikh of the JD(S) could secure only 927 votes or 0.54% of the vote share in Hangal while Naziya Angadi managed 4,353 votes or 2.66% of the share in Sindgi, according to the Election Commission of India (ECI) data at 8.20 pm on Tuesday.
The Janata Dal (Secular) or JD(S) lost both bypoll constituencies on Tuesday despite former prime minister HD Deve Gowda and his former chief minister HD Kumarswamy campaigning in person.
Niyaz Shaikh of the JD(S) could secure only 927 votes or 0.54% of the vote share in Hanagal while Naziya Angadi managed 4,353 votes or 2.66% of the share in Sindgi, according to the Election Commission of India (ECI) data at 8.20 pm on Tuesday.
JD(S) had won Sindgi in 2018 but the seat fell vacant after MC Managuli died this January and his son, Ashok Managuli, decided to contest on a Congress ticket.
“In both places, when you see the votes, the Congress got their answer for its allegations that we were trying to help the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) win,” Kumaraswamy said.
He was referring to allegations made by the Congress that the JD(S) had fielded two Muslim candidates and tried to bad-mouth the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) to split the minority vote and tacitly help the BJP.
Kumaraswamy said that their candidate was “hijacked” by the Congress in Sindgi. He also said that the party had problems even in identifying its own workers in these regions, indicating a lack of grassroot level connection beyond the Old-Mysuru region.
Reacting on JD(S) losing both the constituencies, senior Congress leader Siddaramaiah said, “I had said in the beginning, just because you put up a minority candidate, they won’t vote for you. They are intelligent. They know that you have an internal understanding with communal forces.”
Deve Gowda, after the defeat on Tuesday said that the BJP had spent more money than the Congress in these parts. He, however, stated that the JD(S) will undertake a state-wide tour and mobilise support for 2023.
More importantly, the JD(S) lost another seat in the assembly that further brought down the regional outfit’s tally in the lower house.
Since the 2018 assembly polls, three legislators defected to the BJP and three others have openly aired their intent to join the Congress. These three who have made up their minds to leave--Srinivas Gowda, GT Deve Gowda and Gubbi Srinivas--are from south Karnataka where the JD(S) draws most of its strength in numbers from.
Despite never having secured a majority, since the turn of the century, JD (S) has allied with both national parties on various levels and Kumaraswamy was made chief minister even when the party had just 38 seats as against 80 of the Congress in the previous elections. But the party has been on a downslide ever since the 2019 assembly elections when Kumaraswamy’s son, Nikhil, lost in its stronghold of Mandya and Deve Gowda lost in Tumakuru.
Analysts said that it was hard to rule out the JD(S) since they derive their strength from dissent in either party. The JD(S), a primarily Vokkaliga-backed party, won in regions outside of south-Karnataka only based on the candidate’s ability to win and not on the party symbol, they added.
“Post 2019, there has been some deep churning within the party. There were a few people who left but many others did not leave immediately,” said a Bengaluru-based analyst, requesting not to be named.
The analyst said that JD(S) had given tickets to disgruntled elements from both national parties which became a way to “self-sustenance” as it continues to “rise from the ashes” each time it appears to be on the brink of oblivion.
