JD (U) may spoil BJP’s party in Karnataka

The JD (U), a constituent of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), could well spoil the BJP’s party in poll-bound Karnataka by fielding its candidates against the saffron party in more than 100 seats.

With talks over sharing of seats between BJP and JD (U) for the ensuing assembly polls in Karnataka remaining deadlocked, JD (U) National General Secretary Shambhu Srivatsav told reporters in Bangalore that his party will field its own candidates in at least 100 out of the 224 assembly seats in Karnataka if the BJP does not leave 25 seats for his party.

Shambhu Srivatsav said the party leadership disappointed with the BJP’s decision to cede only six seats for the JD (U) in Karnataka. “We are seeking our share of 25 seats, which is the same number given to us during the 2004 polls. But, they are giving us only six seats. Initially, they offered us only four seats. Later, they gave us two more seats, where neither the BJP nor the JD (U) has any presence”, the disappointed JD (U) leader said.

Shambhu Srivatsav, however, said his party would wait for three more days for a final word from the BJP. “If we don’t receive a positive response, we will be finalise our own candidates for atleast 100 seats”, he said.

He also warned the BJP that it would have to face serious repercussions on account of its reluctance to offer the JD (U) more seats under the proposed seat sharing arrangement for the coming elections.

Meanwhile, BJP leader and former Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa told reporters that his party was keen to have a tie-up with JD (U) and rejected suggestions that negotiations between the partners had broken down. “We are in touch with JD (U) leaders, trying to work out a mutually agreeable seat-sharing formula”, Yeddyurappa said.