Former chief minister H D Kumaraswamy is banking on the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS), his newfound poll partner, to breathe fresh life into the JD(S).
On Thursday, Kumaraswamy announced that his party, if voted to power in Karnataka in the upcoming Assembly elections, would replicate Telangana’s schemes for farmers and Dalits.
“If JD(S) comes to power, then free 24/7 power supply will be provided to agricultural pumpsets on the lines of what Telangana has done,” Kumaraswamy said. “We will also implement the Raitha Bandhu scheme (Rs 10,000 per acre) and the Dalita Bandhu scheme (Rs 10 lakh aid for Dalit families),” he said.
Kumaraswamy has announced a pre-poll truck with the K Chandrasekhar Rao-led BRS. The JD(S) hopes to piggyback on the BRS’ influence on 15-20 Assembly seats, which includes Kalyana Karnataka and Telugu-speaking segments.
“KCR has no intention to field candidates from BRS in Karnataka during the 2023 Assembly elections. Instead, he will extend full support to JD(S). At least 15-20 constituencies have his influence and this will help us win those many seats,” Kumaraswamy said, adding that Rao would be a star campaigner for the JD(S).
Kumaraswamy maintained that the alliance with BRS was to stop atrocities on the Dalits and help farmers. “This will be the common minimum programme,” he said.
The 2024 Lok Sabha elections, too, are on Kumarswamy’s mind. According to him, the BRS wants to field 150 candidates, including border areas of Karnataka.
This pre-poll alliance between two regional parties appears to have the aim of emerging as a strong contender against the Congress.
Also, by ferrying 20 party lawmakers to Hyderabad for his meeting with Rao, Kumaraswamy is seen as having sent a message to his own party men who are headed towards the exit gate.
Prepping for the Assembly polls, the JD(S) will organise a workshop for its candidates on October 17 and 18. “We are trying to win 130 seats. In some constituencies, we have 2-3 ticket aspirants. We are holding talks with the aspirants as well as leaders from constituencies,” Kumaraswamy said.