The visual of BS Yediyurappa and HD Kumaraswamy stepping down from a helicopter together to attend the nomination filing of the veteran BJP leader’s son, BY Raghavendra, from his hometown of Karnataka’s Shivamogga, sent out a strong message to the cadres of both the BJP and Congress.
“We are united, and the BJP will fight all upcoming elections together with the JD(S). Deve Gowda ji and Modi ji are working together, and we will take this alliance further across India as well. I have toured most parts of Karnataka, and the people are receiving the BJP-JD(S) alliance very well. The karyakartas as well are working very hard. We will win most of the seats in Karnataka,” Yediyurappa told News18 in an exclusive interview.
The five-time chief minister is among the BJP’s tallest leaders in southern India and responsible for opening the saffron party’s account in the south. Both the former CMs, Kumaraswamy and Yediyurappa, have joined forces with each other to contest against the ruling Congress in the state and win maximum seats.
The BJP and JD(S) had formed a coalition government in 2008, but it collapsed after 20 months when Kumaraswamy refused to let Yediyurappa take over as CM as agreed. As of now, the BJP has 25 seats, the Congress and JD(S) one each, and the Mandya seat was won by Independent candidate Sumalatha Ambareesh, who recently joined the BJP.
“This alliance is certainly bringing in a lot of energy and enthusiasm among the party workers, who want to ensure 28 seats to the NDA (National Democratic Alliance) this time and wipe out the Congress,” the leader had said earlier.
The Congress is keeping its election strategy localised by campaigning in favour of their guarantees. Yediyurappa said the guarantees will be of no help to gain seats in this election, when compared to how Prime Minister Narendra Modi will sweep the polls across the nation.
“I am very confident about our win in all 28 seats. I am 100 percent happy with the way things are progressing,” he said.
It was not just in 2008, but in 2018 as well when a miffed Kumaraswamy had dropped hints of forming a coalition with the BJP to oust the Congress in the event of a hung assembly. In that election, the BJP won 104 seats, the Congress 78. The JD(S) won 37 seats.
After hectic discussions, the Congress decided to back the JD(S) led by Kumaraswamy to form the government. But, within months, 18 MLAs from the JD(S) and Congress resigned and joined the BJP. This brought down the government, paving the way for BSY to become the CM again.
The JD(S), which has often been known to be the kingmaker, has supported both the BJP and Congress at different times to come to power. “This time it will be different. This is an alliance for a strong developed India. The BJP and JD(S) are a formidable force,” said a senior JD(S) leader.
Kumaraswamy, in an interview to News18, said both parties are comfortable and there is “mutual understanding” between Yediyurappa and him. “We are working as one team, unitedly to ensure that Narendra Modi is made PM again,” he said.
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