Former prime minister and JD(S) supremo H D Deve Gowda has said that his party would contest all the 15 seats of assembly by-elections, which is slated to be held on December 5. He said former Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy had already announced about the party’s decision to field candidates in all the 15 segments and there were no differences within the party on this matter.
Speaking to media persons, here on Wednesday, he said that there was question of taking back three disqualified JD(S) legislators back into the party fold. Staging that the disqualified legislators case is likely to come up for hearing in the Supreme Court on October 22. Let’s see what will be the outcome from the court, he added. “If the court upholds the decision of the then Speaker (to disqualify MLAs) elections will happen. If not, the by-polls may not happen as per schedule,” Mr Gowda observed.
“There is a feeling among some people that JD(S) may only field its candidates in the old Mysuru region, where the party was strong…winning or loosing is another issue all together,” he added. Congress and JD(S), that contested the Lok Sabha polls in alliance and had run a coalition government in the state, have decided to go separate ways in the by-polls.
The by-polls to 15 of the 17 seats represented by disqualified MLAs, which the Election Commission had earlier decided to defer until the apex Court decides on their plea challenging disqualification, has now been scheduled for December five. Among the 15 constituencies going for the polls, 12 were represented by Congress and three by JD(S).
Mr Gowda also cleared that JD(S) would also take part in the local body elections. “Bengaluru civic body elections are due in 10 months. We will contest in all these elections,” he said. (UNI)
