For the public optics, Janata Dal (Secular) national president H.D. Deve Gowda and former Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy have both indicated that the party could contest in all 15 Assembly constituencies for which byelections will be held on December 5.
However, sources said the party was still undecided on the number of seats it should contest in as party leaders do not see a chance of having a strong candidate in many constituencies. The Wednesday’s Supreme Court order on disqualified legislators will set the narrative for the party, sources said.
While Mr. Kumaraswamy has indicated that the party will be fielding its candidates in all 15 constituencies, Mr. Gowda is toying with the idea of fielding candidates in about 10 seats. Some senior party leaders also believe that the party should not field candidates in all constituencies and spread its resources, and instead concentrate on the winnability factor.
“Mr. Kumaraswamy wants to field candidates in all constituencies and he is making preparation for the same. However, I feel we should contest in about 10 seats where we are strong,” Mr. Deve Gowda told The Hindu recently. “Many youngsters are coming forward to contest. But there are some difficult constituencies for the party,” he said. While the party will contest in all constituencies in Old Mysore region, it has identified at least four constituencies in north Karnataka, including Belagavi district, he added.
According to party sources, the worry currently is about poll expenditure and the votes that the party can garner. There is also a concern about candidates retaining deposits even though they may not win. “For example, Yellapur constituency in Uttara Kannada has been identified as difficult. What is the use of contesting in constituencies if we cannot even retain deposit,” sources said.
Sources also said that the party, now out of power, is also worried about the financial implications on fielding candidates in all constituencies. “A mere distribution of B-form is not sufficient. The party has to provide money to candidates and in this case, the party may not want to waste money on constituencies that it believes it will not win.”
A senior party leader said there is also a thinking on not dividing votes between the JD(S) and Congress that may eventually benefit the BJP. “There could be an informal agreement and all these will depend on how Mr. Kumaraswamy sees the party’s prospects in the bypoll vis-à-vis Leader of the Opposition Siddaramaiah’s political strategy.”
Meanwhile, though political circles are rife with speculation that Mr. Kumaraswamy’s statement on supporting the BJP government may go against the JD(S) in the byelections, Mr. Deve Gowda stated that it is not going to harm the party’'s prospects. “The statement was made in a context and to prevent midterm polls. It will not affect the party in the bypolls. The JD(S) is not ready for midterm polls,” he said.
