LS poll: Shivakumar plays up JD(S) role in good show by BJP

Bengaluru, NT Bureau: Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar played up alliance partner JD(S)’ role in the success enjoyed by the BJP in the Lok Sabha elections held earlier this year. The Saffron party and JD(S) had a seat sharing agreement wherein the latter only contested three seats out of a possible 28.

The BJP ended up bagging 17 seats while their allies secured two. Congress had to satisfy themselves with nine constituencies. Shivakumar even claimed that the BJP won 10 seats because of JD(S).

He made the comments in the backdrop of Union Minister HD Kumaraswamy withdrawing from the ‘padayatra’ (march) slated to be held on Saturday.

The march will start from Bengaluru and end in Mysuru. Kumaraswamy had objected to JD(S) not being consulted and to the presence of BJP state general secretary Preetham Gowda, who he suggested participated in the Prajwal Revanna video leaks.

However, Kumaraswamy has now agreed to participate in the march. “Everyone does their politics. I believe Kumaraswamy will retain his party's and his own identity and existence. There may be friction between the BJP and the JD(S) due to this,” Shvakumar said.

“The BJP has won 10 seats in the Lok Sabha election with the help of JD(S), which has a base in Mysuru, Mandya and Bengaluru Rural. JD(S) obviously can't accept it if the BJP wants to take out a padayatra without taking its leaders into confidence. It is a different matter if the BJP and the JDS are merging,” he added.