The Opposition parties — Bharatiya Janata Party and the Janata Dal (S) — have reportedly begun the process of negotiations on a tacit understanding in the elections to the Rajya Sabha and the Legislative Council.
Two prominent leaders from both the parties are learnt to have held talks on Tuesday night. While the BJP’s second candidate for the Council polls, Lehar Singh Siroya, needs the support of the JD (S) for his victory, the JD (S) needs the second preference votes of the BJP for the victory of its Rajya Sabha candidate B.M. Farooq.
According to sources, the BJP, which is in a better position when compared to the JD (S), is firm on not withdrawing the candidature of Mr. Lehar Singh, who is close to B.S. Yeddyurappa. This would mean that the JD (S) has to withdraw its second candidate for the Council elections from the fray if there has to be a poll understanding between both the parties.
Meanwhile, according to senior JD (S) leaders, party’s State unit president H.D. Kumaraswamy held discussions with BJP leader R. Ashok on which of the two candidates should withdraw their nomination papers. However, discussions remained inconclusive and a final decision will be taken by Thursday morning. The JD (S) is also dangling the carrot of supporting the BJP in the next Bengaluru mayoral polls .
Hoping for 2012 repeat
By fielding a second candidates for the Council polls, BJP and JD (S) are hoping to humble Congress like they did in 2012. In that year, the Congress had suffered humiliation in the Council polls with the party’s official candidate Iqbal Ahmed Saradagi losing and Byrathi Suresh (Independent candidate favoured by BJP) recording a surprise win with JD (S) support.
