The massive turnout at the recent JD(S) rally in this Indian 'Silicon City' has proved that the party is still a force to reckon with in Karnataka politics.
The rally also served to give a veiled warning to the party's political rivals that the party, despite being drubbed in the assembly elections, cannot be written off as it continues to enjoy a support base in rural areas.
JDS chief HD Deve Gowda, by appointing his son HD Kumaraswamy as state unit party president, has virtually christened him as his political successor, brushing aside criticism from opponents within his party and rebel camps.
Political observers say a clear message has been sent to the Congress, which has been spurning any alliance with the Gowda outfit, fearing a backlash from certain communities, including Lingayats, as witnessed during the recent polls.
Even as Gowda unilaterally withdrew his candidates from three seats of the legislative council which recently went to bye-election, to impress the Congress and supported it, both parties suffered a loss of face as the BJP swept the election.
The pleas by Gowda and political heir apparent Kumaraswamy to the Congress to forge a poll alliance in the backdrop of a BJP victory failed to cut ice.
The coming bye-poll to eight assembly seats is crucial to JDS as the ruling BJP has successfully poached four of its MLAs, bringing down its strength in the assembly from 28 to 25.
{{/usCountry}}The coming bye-poll to eight assembly seats is crucial to JDS as the ruling BJP has successfully poached four of its MLAs, bringing down its strength in the assembly from 28 to 25.
{{/usCountry}}Balachandra Jarakiholi, Shivannagouda Naik, BC Gourishankar and Umvesh V Katti quit JDS and joined BJP. Maddur MLA, MS Siddaraju passed away.