NDA set for Karnataka showdown, JDU first list out

New Delhi, April 18: The JD(U) on Friday announced 24 candidates for the Karnataka Assembly polls, including in 18 seats where the BJP has already fielded its nominees. With this, NDA allies seem all set for a showdown in the state.

JD(U), a key NDA ally which shares power with the BJP in Bihar, had demanded 25 seats in the 224-member Karnataka Assembly. BJP, which has already named its 185 candidates, was not ready to give it more than 10.

Sources said JD(U) president Sharad Yadav had sent a list of 15 constituencies to BJP president Rajnath Singh on Thursday night claiming that he could not scale down the list any further. The BJP president promised to get back on Friday morning. However, till noon there was no word from him. An upset Yadav thus announced his nominees.

Incidentally, Singh shares an excellent personal equation with Yadav and doesn’t want the alliance to break up. However, it was clear that Singh was unable to convince his party colleagues, particularly Karnataka polls in charge Arun Jaitley and general secretary Ananth Kumar.

Though the JD(U) announcement defined a break-up between the two partners, on Friday neither side was prepared to say that the seat-adjustment talks were over. Singh tried to sound optimistic: “The JD(U) is an old ally. I am hopeful the alliance would be intact.” Party spokesman Prakash Javadekar was equally guarded: “In a coalition, one can’t say anything till the last date for withdrawals of nominations.” JD(U) general secretary Shambhu Sharan Srivastav, who released the list, refused to entertain questions.

Sources said Yadav had demanded from the BJP the five seats which JD(U) had won last time. He had sought six others where party nominees had finished second. The remaining four seats were sought for key state leaders of the party.

The first set of JD(U) nominees includes state president B Somasekhar (Malavalli), sitting MLA J C Madhuswamy (Chikkanayakanahalli), former minister and tribal leader C Veeranna (Madhugiri) and central disciplinary committee chief Mohammad Nazeer Ahmed (Shantinagar). Former defence minister George Fernandes may not be on good terms with Nitish Kumar and Yadav, the party has, nevertheless, nominated his brother Michael Fernandes, a two-term MLA, from Sarvagna Nagar. Mallikarjun Bommai, son of JD(U) founder president S R Bommai, has been fielded from Hebbal. The BJP had recently weaned away Mallikarjun’s brother Basavaraj Bommai to its side.

Though the JD(U) has threatened to field some 100 candidates, the final tally may just cross 70. The JD(U) has deliberately kept its number low in the first list.

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