After the crucial by-elections, both the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Indian National Congress (INC) have started focusing on the local bodies’ Legislative Council polls which are scheduled for December in Karnataka.
Out of the total seats in the Karnataka Legislative Council, one-third of seats are filled through this election in which members of gram panchayats, zilla panchayats, and taluk panchayats would vote. Both the parties have started setting up committees to look after the preparation in these elections for 25 seats. In the present Legislative Council of Karnataka, no party had a majority, and these polls are seen by both the INC and the ruling BJP to get a majority in the upper house.
The BJP had formed four teams to tour the entire length and breadth of the state to gather support for the saffron party in these Legislative Council elections. The teams will be led by former Chief Ministers and senior leader B.S. Yediyurappa and Jagadish Shettar, BJP’s Karnataka chief Nalin Kumar Kateel, and state cabinet minister K.S. Eshwarappa. While the Congress party had also deputed the state president D.K. Shivakumar and former chief minister Siddaramaiah oversee the preparation of the grand-old party in these crucial elections.
Presently in the 75-member Karnataka Legislative Council, the saffron party had 32 members, Congress has 29, and the Janata Dal (Secular), JD(S) has 12 members.
The Janata Dal Secular which is getting weak might see at least four of its members leaving the party in the run-up to the polls. Senior Congress leader and Member of Legislative Council Naseer Ahmed said, : “After the Hangal bypoll victory we are confident that we will win majority of the seats in these upcoming MLC polls, our poll preparation had started and the party is going to form committee to oversee the preparation. Candidates will be finalised by the high command after consulting the state leadership. We are waiting for the dates of the elections.”
Of the 25 members who are completing their terms, Congress MLC Srinivas Mane has been elected to the Karnataka Legislative Assembly from the prestigious Hangal seat whose result was announced on November 2.
Talking to The Daily Guardian, BJP leader V.K. Patil said, “After these elections, we will cross the majority mark in the state legislative council. We have learned lessons from the bypoll results and the party is ready for the upcoming polls. We have decided to start a mass outreach programme to connect with the voters of the state and I sincerely hope that we will get the desired results in the MLC elections.”
“The loss of the Hangal assembly seat was due to our overconfidence and Congress deviated the voters through false promises and money power.”