Congress MP opposes tie up with JDS for Rajya Sabha polls
'JDS has lost ground and its popularity is on the decline in the state. Any kind of alliance with JDS at this hour will send a wrong message to party cadres,' Congress MP from Mysore H Vishwanath said.
Congress MP from Mysore H Vishwanath today opposed his party having any kind of alliance with JDS in the coming Rajya Sabha and legislative council polls."JDS has lost ground and its popularity is on the decline in the state. Any kind of alliance with JDS at this hour will send a wrong message to party cadres, turning them submissive before JDS workers and leaders",he said in a letter to Congress president Sonia Gandhi, copies of which he released to reporters here.Vishwanath, a vocal Backward Class leader, urged the highcommand and its leadership to desist and counter what he called "a kind of arm twisting tactics practised and propagated by JDS"."The Congress, in its enthusiasm to get an additional RajyaSabha seat, has lost its future long-term benefits of emergingstronger on its own," he said.
The Congress has struck an understanding with JDS for thecoming two biennial elections under which JDS will support thesecond candidate put by up by Congress in Rajya Sabha poll.The Congress in turn, will support JDS to win an additionalseat, apart from one which former prime minister HDDevegowda's party would get on its own strength.Elections are being held for four Rajya Sabha and sevenlegislative council seats.Going by the numerical strength, the ruling party can win two Rajya Sabha and Congress one.In the council, the ruling BJP has the strength to win four seats and Congress two. But Congress has decided to renominatecouncil chairman Veeranna Mathikatti and support two JDScandidates.In the 224-member assembly, BJP has 115 members, Congress 74, JDS 27, Independents 6 and speaker one.