The Janata Dal (Secular) and the Congress, which are running a coalition government in Karnataka, have decided to go it alone in the elections for urban local bodies to be held on August 29.
The Karnataka State Election Commission on Thursday announced the timetable for polls to 105 local bodies (out of the 208 ULBs) across the state.
An unexpected alliance between the arch-rivals soon after a hung verdict in the Assembly elections in May might have installed a coalition government in the state. But the move seems to not have enthused the cadres in both Congress and JD(S) who feel such an alliance tempers the otherwise fiery and dynamic nature of local politics.
That grassroots democracy is better off when polls are fought alone is a sentiment shared by both local and senior leaders of both JD(S) and Congress.
While the JD(S) has already announced its plans to fight the ULB polls alone, the KPCC chief Dinesh Gundu Rao too favoured an independent fight. “The state polls are different from local polls,” said Rao.
The parties have announced a pre-poll alliance ahead of the Lok Sabha polls to fight the BJP. But the real test for the coalition would be the local body polls.
In 2013, the Congress had a significant victory in the local body elections, when it secured 1,960 of the 4,976 seats it contested. It had secured 39 per cent of the total seats. BJP and JD(S) bagged around 905 seats each (18 per cent).
But the BJP's poor performance then was attributed to its breakaway faction—Karnataka Janata Party—floated by former chief minister B.S. Yeddyurappa. KJP had bagged 274 seats. Last time, the ULB poll results came just two months before the Assembly polls and perhaps hinted at the Congress sweeping a majority.
This time, the parties are still mulling over the strategy as it would impact the upcoming Lok Sabha polls. No party can afford to upset its grassroots workers and local leaders.
A seat-sharing agreement ends up disappointing many aspiring leaders in both JD(S) and Congress, which may trigger rebellion, say sources.
This time, the polls to 208 ULBs will be held in two phases. In the first phase, 29 city municipalities, 53 town municipalities and 23 town panchayats will go to polls on August 29. “The term of the remaining 103 ULBs is yet to near completion," said state electoral officer P.N. Sreenivasachary.
The deputy commissioners will issue the poll notification on August 10. The last date to submit the nomination is August 17 and to withdraw nomination is August 20. The counting of votes will be held on September 1.