NDA plans to expand base; will JDS become part of NDA?

The JDS, on its part, is desperately looking for some sort of solid support in order to sustain itself after the severe drubbing it received in the May 10 assembly elections. The JDS ended up with just 19 seats while the Congress won a comfortable majority with 135 seats. The BJP got 66 seats. 

Yet another reason why JDS is looking for support is the fact its Vokkaliga support base shrunk drastically yielding it to the Congress. It is inevitable for the JDS to win back the lost Vokkaliga vote base. It is with this intention the JDS is looking at the BJP. 

The BJP, on its part, would not like to allow the rejuvenated Congress to have a free run in the Lok Sabha elections. It is imperative to prevent split in anti-Congress votes especially in Old Mysore region. 

Towards that end, the BJP is willing to have electoral alliance with the JDS. It is with this objective the BJP is making attempts to forge alliance with the JDS. 

The curious aspect in this whole exercise is the response of former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda. He has always maintained that his is a secular party and BJP is communal. His son Kumaraswamy, however, has said that he is more comfortable with the BJP than the Congress. 

Meanwhile, BJP has called a meeting of its NDA allies on July 18 to discuss and chalk out its future plans for the 2024 parliamentary elections. It remains to be seen if the BJP manages to rope in JDS before July 18 meeting. Karnataka politics is all set to enter an interesting phase with curiosity being the prime element in the entire exercise.