Karnataka election: Will Congress ally with JDS after polls? DK Shivakumar responds

There will be no post-poll alliance with the Janata Dal (Secular), Karnataka Congress chief DK Shivakumar told reporters Wednesday morning amid voting for the 2023 Assembly election.

Ruling out a post-poll deal – the Cong, JDS teamed up to win the 2018 election but their government crashed after rebel MLAs broke off to join the Bharatiya Janata Party – Shivakumar said: “There are no chances of alliance with JDS. We will form the government on our own”.

The confident claim echoed ex-chief minister Siddaramaiah’s prediction of 130 to 150 seats for the Congress and those by multiple surveys that hand the party a narrow victory. In 2018 the JDS won 37 seats, the Congress 78 and the BJP 104; the Congress and the JDS combined to keep the BJP out of power.

The Congress’ apparently firm ‘no’ will not worry the Kannada party; last month party chief and ex-prime minister HD Deve Gowda was similarly dismissive.

Cong’ attack strategy for Karnataka election
“The issue is price rise, corruption, good governance and development…” Shivakumar said. “I am appealing to everyone… please vote by looking at our gas cylinders. I have advised all my leaders to put a garland on it (the cylinder).”

On Tuesday Shivakumar’s ‘cylinder puja’ made headlines as the Congress leader flagged the rising price of the essential domestic good. “Kannadigas! Before you go to cast your vote, don’t forget to perform this ritual. Watch the video,” the party tweeted; the voiceover for the video had an old speech by prime minister Narendra Modi that said ‘pray to the gas cylinder (before) you go to vote’.

The price of LPG, or liquified petroleum gas, cylinders – a staple in most Indian households – has become a major flashpoint in this election and the ‘cylinder puja’ video was soon viral; it triggered a dig in response from Tejasvi Surya, who is the BJP’s Lok Sabha MP from the Bengaluru (South) constituency.

Also a major focus of the Congress’ attack on the ruling BJP is its ‘40% sarkar’ jibe, which claims ministers and officials from chief minister Basavaraj Bommai’s government demand a 40 per cent ‘commission’ from contractors.

Last week the Congress’ Karnataka boss spoke to Hindustan Times in an exclusive interview and criticised the BJP for its attacks on his party – over its promise to ban the right-wing group Bajrang Dal if it wins the election.

Shivakumar accused the BJP of harping on this issue because it had no achievements to show votes during its four years in power.

Shivakumar is contesting from his stronghold of Kanakapura – a seat he was won seven times. In videos shared earlier today he was seen driving an autorickshaw surrounded by dozens of supporters and his wife Usha.

Karnataka votes in a single phase today with results due May 13.

Karnataka is the first major poll of 2023, with Congress-ruled Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh voting later this year. Also voting are Telangana – where chief minister K Chandrashekhar Rao and his Bharat Rashtra Samithi must retain power before aspiring to a national role – and BJP-ruled Madhya Pradesh.