Performing well in BBMP polls important for 2023 assembly elections: Kumaraswamy

Bengaluru Former Karnataka chief minister HD Kumaraswamy on Tuesday urged workers of the Janata Dal (Secular) to build the party ahead of the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP, the city’s civic body) polls and the 2023 assembly elections

Former Karnataka chief minister HD Kumaraswamy on Tuesday urged workers of the Janata Dal (Secular) to build the party ahead of the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP, the city’s civic body) polls and the 2023 assembly elections.

Former Karnataka chief minister HD Kumaraswamy said that it was important to perform well in the BBMP elections to do well in the 2023 assembly elections.(File image) (AP)

“We cannot build our party on the strength of money. We should build it independently and on our own efforts. Whoever wants to can meet me and discuss it properly,” Kumaraswamy said. The former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda and his former chief minister son-led party are trying to find its feet in the state electoral landscape even as it continues to lose ground against the two national parties--Bhartiya Janata Party and the Congress.

He said that it was important to perform well in the BBMP elections (yet to be announced) to do well in the 2023 assembly elections and try to administer independently without allying with either national party.

The JD(S) has allied with both the Congress and the BJP in the past with Kumaraswamy as the chief minister on two occasions.

The Congress and BJP are moving fast on disgruntled members of the JD(S) to help their respective parties gain a foothold in regions where the regional outfit has a stronger foothold like Mandya, Hassan and other places in south Karnataka.