Ahead of the much awaited 2024 Parliament Elections, former Karnataka chief minister B S Yediyurappa on Friday announced the news of reconciliation of BJP and former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda-led JD(S). According to the veteran politician, who is also the BJP parliamentary board member, as part of the poll understanding, the JD(S) will contest in four Lok Sabha seats in Karnataka, which has a total of 28 constituencies.
What did Yediyurappa say?
"BJP and JD(S) will have an understanding. Amit Shah (Union Home Minister) has agreed to give four Lok Sabha seats," to the JD(S))," the four-time Chief Minister Yediyurappa said.
Speaking to reporters here, he said, "this has given us great strength and this will help us in winning 25 or 26 Lok Sabha seats together."
This development comes after JD(S) supremo and former prime minister Deve Gowda's previous indication regarding the possibility of joining hands with their old ally again.
2019 Polls: Political equation in Karnataka
Back in 2019, the BJP witnessed a sweeping victory in the Lok Sabha polls in Karnataka by bagging 25 out of the 28 seats, while an independent backed by it won in one seat. The Congress and JD(S) emerged victorious in one seat each.
As per media reports, JD(S) is aiming for the Mandya, Hassan, Bengaluru (Rural) and Chikballapur seats, of which the JDS won only Hassan.
The JDS won less than 10 per cent of the total vote share, underlining the significance of this alliance, particularly after it was also trounced in state polls; it secured less than 14 per cent of the votes polled.
The tie-up is also deemed crucial for the BJP to counter the massive momentum being generated by the Oppostion INDIA bloc, that includes the Congress, the Trinamool Congress, the Aam Aadmi Party, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, the Shiv Sena UBT and several more.
