If the former chief minister of Karnataka, BS Yediyurappa of the Bharatiya Janata Party is to be believed, BJP and the Janata Dal (Secular) have an “understanding” for the 2024 Lok Sabha election. The pact, according to the senior BJP leader, “will help us win 25 or 26 seats” and the JDS will run for four seats.
According to sources, the JDS is vying for the seats in Mandya, Hassan, Bengaluru (Rural), and Chikballapur, of which it only won Hassan. HD Deve Gowda, the party’s father, ran from Tumkur but lost.
In the end, the BJP won a landslide in the state during the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, taking 25 seats on its own and counting a further 26 after supporting an independent candidate. One seat was gained by the Congress.
The JDS received less than 10% of the total vote share, underscoring the importance of this partnership, especially given that it also fared poorly in state polls, when it received less than 14% of the total votes cast.
Additionally, the alliance is crucial for the BJP as it seeks to halt the momentum being created by INDIA, the massive opposition coalition that comprises the Congress, the Trinamool Congress, the Aam Aadmi Party, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, the Shiv Sena UBT, and many others.
However, sources have also stated that certain BJP leaders are opposed to the agreement, citing the JDS’s dismal performance in the most recent election and their parties’ strong showings in the most recent Lok Sabha election.
Up to the May election, the BJP ruled the southern state. However, the Congress surprised many with a stunning victory, winning 135 of the 224 seats in the house.
Following HD Kumaraswamy’s promotion of the JDS as a “kingmaker” in post-election scenarios. However, the Congress’ victory meant that it had little influence in a second straight important election.