The JD(S) seems to be determined to settle scores with four rebel legislators from Bengaluru for bringing down the coalition government.
The party has decided to prepare for bypolls to Rajarajeshwari Nagar, K R Puram, Mahalakshmi Layout and Yeshwantapur Assembly constituencies.
The party’s national president H D Deve Gowda has convened a meeting of office-bearers and local leaders on Saturday and Sunday at the party office to take stock of the situation in these segments and to prepare a plan of action.
“Our agenda is very clear. We want to teach them a lesson by winning all four seats,” a JD(S) functionary told DH.
The Congress represents Rajarajeshwari Nagar (Muniratna), K R Puram (Byrathi Basavaraj), Yeshwanthapura (S T Somashekar), while the JD(S) represents Mahalakshmi Layout (K Gopalaiah).
The four constituencies have been a fortress of the Congress and JD(S). The saffron party lacks the base in these segments.
In May 2018 Assembly polls, the BJP was pushed to the third position, while the margin of victory between the winning and losing candidates was thin. “The meeting will identify suitable candidates for the bypolls. There will be a discussion on an alliance with the Congress party,” JD(S) Bengaluru City unit president R Prakash said.
A decision will be taken on alliance only after consulting the party workers, he clarified.
“We will expose the rebels and their anti-party activities. They received huge funds from the state government for development works and projected these works as their own achievements,” he charged.
The leaders believe that alliance with the Congress is inevitable to win the four seats. The saffron party may win if the JD(S) and the Congress contest separately as votes will be divided, the functionary added.
In case of the alliance, the JD(S) has decided to demand Mahalakshmi Layout and Yeshwanthapura segments, allotting K R Puram and Rajarajeshwari Nagar to the Congress.
It is likely to be a tough call for the leaders as a section of the party workers are opposed to the alliance.
The party has also decided to conduct ward-level and booth-level meetings to strength the cadre at grassroots.