Expecting early polls to the Lok Sabha in the wake of a shaky economy, the Karnataka Janata Paksha (KJP) has commenced preparations to contest at least eight to 10 seats even as it has kept the option of having an alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party open.
Speaking to reporters before attending a core committee meeting of the party here on Wednesday, KJP president B.S. Yeddyurappa said the Union government has completely failed to contain inflation and the fall of the rupee. In such a situation, early polls are likely and hence his party is gearing up for it. Regarding an electoral pact with the BJP, Mr. Yeddyurappa said the BJP Central leadership had not yet discussed the issue with him. Regarding the defeat of candidates from the ‘united’ Opposition parties in the recently concluded byelections to the Lok Sabha and Legislative Council, he said lack of clarity among parties was the reason for the loss. KJP leader and MLC M.D. Lakshminarayana, after the meeting, said several former Ministers and former MLAs would be inducted into the party’s State committee in order to strengthen it. He said party leaders were not in favour of a merger with the BJP and they would decide about having a poll alliance after the declaration of the Lok Sabha polls.