With zilla and taluk panchayat elections expected in June, the Janata Dal (Secular) [JDS], eager to recover from its Assembly poll setback, is intensifying efforts to reclaim dominance in the Old Mysuru region.
JDS Youth Wing President Nikhil Kumaraswamy has begun groundwork, engaging with MLAs, MLCs, ex-legislators, and poll aspirants to craft a strong strategy. Recognizing these elections as a litmus test in Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy CM DK Shivakumar’s stronghold, JDS held a closed-door strategy session in Mysuru on Tuesday.
Party functionaries and aspirants from Mysuru, Chamarajanagar, and Mandya voiced their perspectives. Many leaders asserted their organizational strength in key taluks and urged JDS to field candidates based on its local standing. Some also emphasized using this election to energize grassroots workers and bolster their position in the BJP alliance for future Assembly elections.
Nikhil assured that party workers’ opinions would shape decision-making and affirmed that statewide consultations would precede any seat-sharing negotiations with the BJP. He emphasized BJP’s respect for HD Deve Gowda and HD Kumaraswamy, citing their joint success in securing 19 Lok Sabha seats.
The meeting also focused on expanding party membership, with a digital enrollment drive set to launch on March 14. Nikhil dismissed rumors of internal opposition to his leadership aspirations, affirming his focus on empowering grassroots workers over ‘visiting card’ politicians.
Additionally, he criticized Congress for diverting SC/ST funds for guarantee schemes, accusing them of treating Dalits as a mere vote bank.
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