September 8, 2023
Introduction
In a strategic move with far-reaching political implications, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Janata Dal (Secular) (JDS) have announced an “understanding” for the upcoming 2024 Lok Sabha election in the southern state of Karnataka. This announcement, made by the former Karnataka Chief Minister and senior BJP leader, BS Yediyurappa, has sent shockwaves through the region’s political landscape.
Under this electoral understanding, the JDS is set to contest four of Karnataka’s 28 parliamentary seats, despite having garnered less than 10 percent of the votes in the last general election. The seats in question are Mandya, Hassan, Bengaluru (Rural), and Chikballapur. It’s worth noting that the JDS had only managed to secure the Hassan seat in the previous election while its party patriarch, HD Deve Gowda, lost in Tumkur.
The BJP, on the other hand, displayed an impressive performance in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, winning 25 seats independently and securing a 26th seat by supporting an independent candidate. In stark contrast, the Congress managed to win just one seat, emphasizing the BJP’s dominance in the state at that time.
The significance of this alliance becomes apparent when considering the JDS’s less than stellar performance, not only in the general elections but also in the state polls where it garnered less than 14 percent of the votes. The tie-up is seen as a crucial move by the BJP as it aims to counter the momentum generated by the INDIA alliance, a formidable opposition bloc consisting of the Congress, Trinamool Congress, Aam Aadmi Party, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, Shiv Sena, and more.
BJP Expresses reservations
However, it’s worth noting that some voices within the BJP have expressed reservations about this partnership, highlighting the JDS’s poor electoral track record and the BJP’s strong showing in the previous Lok Sabha election.
The BJP’s “Mission South” has been in motion since the party’s loss in Karnataka earlier this year. The BJP had previously been ousted from Tamil Nadu in 2021 and faced electoral setbacks in Kerala, Telangana, and Andhra Pradesh. With Telangana scheduled to vote for a new government later this year, the BJP is actively working to establish a local presence in each of these states as it prepares for the mega 2024 Lok Sabha election.
In addition to the alliance with the JDS, the BJP has renewed its alliance with the AIADMK and is engaging in discussions with smaller parties in Kerala. Moreover, the BJP is already part of a coalition government in Puducherry.
Conclusion
As the political landscape in South India undergoes a significant transformation, all eyes are on the BJP-JDS alliance and its potential impact on the 2024 Lok Sabha election, where every seat will be crucial in determining the balance of power at the national level.
