Why a better show is NOT good news for JD-S

Despite improving its tally by 12 seats in Karnataka, the poll verdict indicates that the Janata Dal-Secular will have to stay out of power for the next five years. Vicky Nanjappa reports.

While the mood at the Bharatiya Janata Party office in Bangalore is low for obvious reasons, the situation is no different at the Janata Dal-Secular office.

The party only managed to improve its tally by 12 seats to 40 as compared to 28 constituencies it won in the last assembly election.

Despite equaling BJP’s tally, the JD-S will not be happy with its performance at the moment. The result would mean that it would have to sit out of power for another five years at least.

With the Congress hitting the majority mark, it does not require the services of any of the other parties to form the government. This is not good news for the JD-S which will struggle to keep its flock united.

The JD-S faced a similar problem the last time when it lost power. Several of its leaders quit the party and joined the BJP as they were not ready to sit out of power.

The scenario could be similar for the JD-S this time too, and it could face dissidence and people could quit the party.

The JD-S, which had expected to win close to 60 seats, is a demoralised unit today. Party chief H D Kumaraswamy’s face said it all -- and more than the loss of the JD-S in several seats he appeared more upset that his party would not have a say in the government-formation process.

Moreover, there appears to be no trouble in the Congress today and the party looks like it would complete its five year term, which also means that the JD-S will not have much work in the next few years.

When the election process had commenced, there was talk in the political circles that the JD-S would try and form a government with the BJP. This was being considered keeping in mind a possible win for the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls.

The JD-S wanted to be a part of the NDA. However, today that is not possible as both the BJP and the JD-S have 40 seats each, adding up to 80.

Image: JD-S chief H D Kumaraswamy addressing a gathering in Bangalore

Photograph Courtesy: JD-S website