Hans News Service Bengaluru

Evenbefore the Election Commission announces the schedule for the Hiriyur Assembly by-election, political activity has intensified in Karnataka, with the ruling Congress, BJP and JD(S) quietly preparing for the high-stakes contest. The bypoll was necessitated following the demise of Karnataka Planning and Statistics Minister and Congress MLA D Sudhakar, who represented the Hiriyur constituency in Chitradurga district.

The JD(S), an ally of the BJP in the NDA, has emerged as the most proactive player, staking claim to contest the seat as part of the alliance’s seat-sharing arrangement. Union Minister and JD(S) state president H D Kumaraswamy has reportedly initiated discussions with the BJP leadership, requesting that the Hiriyur constituency be allotted to his party for the bypoll. According to party sources, Kumaraswamy has already held multiple rounds of meetings with JD(S) leaders from Chitradurga district and Hiriyur to assess the party’s organisational strength and electoral prospects. He is learnt to have assured local leaders that he would secure the party ticket through negotiations with the BJP leadership, while asking them to focus on strengthening the organisation and preparing for the election campaign.

The JD(S) believes the constituency presents a realistic opportunity for the NDA. In the 2023 Assembly election, the BJP secured around 60,000 votes, while the JD(S) polled nearly 38,000 votes. Party strategists believe that if the alliance votes are consolidated, the NDA could mount a formidable challenge against the Congress candidate in the bypoll.

Community equations are also expected to play a crucial role in candidate selection. JD(S) leaders are said to be considering a candidate from influential Vokkaliga or Yadava communities, which have a significant presence in the constituency. Beyond winning the by-election, the regional party also sees the contest as an opportunity to strengthen its claim over Hiriyur ahead of the next Assembly election, ensuring the seat remains with JD(S) within the alliance framework.

The BJP, meanwhile, has also begun organisational preparations. State BJP president B.Y. Vijayendra has reportedly held discussions with local leaders regarding booth-level mobilisation, alliance coordination and possible candidates.

However, senior BJP leaders have indicated that the final decision will be taken jointly with JD(S) after consultations within the NDA. State BJP in-charge Radha Mohan Das Agrawal recently confirmed that discussions with JD(S) leaders on seat-sharing were underway and that a joint meeting of alliance leaders would decide which party would contest the bypoll.

The impending by-election has also fuelled speculation over Kumaraswamy’s increasing involvement in Karnataka politics despite serving as a Union Minister. Over the past few weeks, he has intensified his criticism of the state government and actively participated in political programmes across Karnataka. Responding to questions about his political future, Kumaraswamy clarified that while he would continue as a Union Minister and Member of Parliament, he would remain actively involved in Karnataka politics whenever necessary. With the Congress looking to retain a prestigious seat held by late minister D. Sudhakar and the NDA eager to test its electoral strength after the BJP-JD(S) alliance, the Hiriyur bypoll is shaping up to be one of Karnataka’s most closely watchedpolitical contests in th coming months.