JD(S) not to contest upcoming by-polls in Karnataka
Bengaluru, Feb 10: JD(S) patriarch H D Deve Gowda on Wednesday said his party will not contest by-elections for Belgaum Lok Sabha segment, and Basavakalyan, Sindgi and Maski Assembly seats.
The by-poll schedule is yet to be announced by the Election Commission.
"JD(S) will not field its candidates for bypolls to Belgaum Lok Sabha and Basavakalyan, Sindgi and Maski Assembly seats. We don't have money to fight these elections," Gowda was quoted as saying to reporters by his office in a release.
Most number of sedition cases filed in Karnataka: Rajya Sabha told
The former Prime Minister said he will completely involve himself towards organizing or building the party for 2023 assembly polls.
"... I will put all my efforts to save and build the regional party, with the support of leaders and workers," he said.
While by-polls to Belgaum Lok Sabha and Basavakalyan Assembly seats are necessitated following the death of Union Minister Suresh Angadi and MLA B Narayan Rao respectively due to COVID-19 in September last year, Maski seat fell vacant following the disqualification of MLA Prathapagouda Patil.
Patil had won the Maski assembly seat in 2018 from Congress and is now with the BJP.
Sindagi MLA and senior JD(S) leader M C Managuli's death last month, due to age related ailments, has necessitated the by-polls there.
With an aim to win these seats, the ruling BJP and opposition Congress have already begun the process of shortlisting the candidates, party sources said.
Noting that BJP will face a setback in elections to four states this year, Gowda said according to him the saffron party will not get much seats in Tamil Nadu, and lauded the "courage" of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
"Despite
getting
less
votes,
Mamata
may
retain
power...
the
whole
BJP
team
is
camping
in
West
Bengal.
Legislators
and
Ministers
quitting
the
party
may
cause
a
setback
to
TMC
to
an
extent,
butMamata
Banerjee
will
become
CM
(of
West
Bengal)
for
the
third
time,"
he
added.
The terms of the legislative assemblies of the four states-Tamil Nadu, Kerala, West Bengal, Assam, and the Union Territory of Puducherry end on different dates in May and June and the elections are likely to take place in April.