JDS Backs Out of Jayanagar Bypoll to Support Alliance Partner Congress’ Soumya Reddy
Bengaluru (News18) : JD(S) has decided to back out of the Jayanagar bypoll leaving it to alliance partner Congress to take up the fight against BJP.
JD(S) on Tuesday issued a press release to say that the party candidate and workers would extend their support for Congress candidate Soumya Reddy.
Election in Jayanagar had been deferred owing to the death of BJP candidate BN Vijaya Kumar.
Jayanagar election was postponed along with Rajarajeshwari Nagar (RR Nagar) where several voter ID card scandal led to a police case and a massive upheaval just days ahead of the May 12 elections.
Congress later won the RR Nagar bypoll with a comfortable margin of over 25,400 votes, thus gaining more numbers in the 224-member Karnataka Assembly.
Congress and JD(S) had fought the RR Nagar bypoll against each other despite being coalition partners, as they failed to come to a consensus on supporting one of their candidates.
With Congress winning Rajarajeshwari Nagar, the Congress-JDS coalition now has the support of 118 MLAs in the House with an effective strength of 222.
While the Congress has 79 MLAs, Kumaraswamy’s JD(S) has 36 while BSP has 1. The alliance has also claimed the support of the lone KPJP MLA and an Independent.
