JD(S) will not contest upcoming by-polls in Karnataka: H D Deve Gowda

JDS patriarch H D Deve Gowdaon Wednesday said his party will not contest by-elections forBelgaum Lok Sabha segment, and Basavakalyan, Sindgi and MaskiAssembly seats.The by-poll schedule is yet to be announced by theElection Commission.JDS will not field its candidates for bypolls toBelgaum Lok Sabha and Basavakalyan, Sindgi and Maski Assemblyseats.

JD(S) patriarch H D Deve Gowdaon Wednesday said his party will not contest by-elections forBelgaum Lok Sabha segment, and Basavakalyan, Sindgi and MaskiAssembly seats.

The by-poll schedule is yet to be announced by theElection Commission.

''JD(S) will not field its candidates for bypolls toBelgaum Lok Sabha and Basavakalyan, Sindgi and Maski Assemblyseats. We don't have money to fight these elections,'' Gowdawas quoted as saying to reporters by his office in a release.

The former Prime Minister said he will completely involvehimself towards organizing or building the party for 2023assembly polls.

''... I will put all my efforts to save and build theregional party, with the support of leaders and workers,'' hesaid.

While by-polls to Belgaum Lok Sabha and BasavakalyanAssembly seats are necessitated following the death of UnionMinister Suresh Angadi and MLA B Narayan Rao respectively dueto COVID-19 in September last year, Maski seat fell vacantfollowing the disqualification of MLA Prathapagouda Patil.

Patil had won the Maski assembly seat in 2018 fromCongress and is now with the BJP.

Sindagi MLA and senior JD(S) leader M C Managuli's deathlast month, due to age related ailments, has necessitated theby-polls there.

With an aim to win these seats, the ruling BJP andopposition Congress have already begun the process ofshortlisting the candidates, party sources said.

Noting that BJP will face a setback in elections to fourstates this year, Gowda said according to him the saffronparty will not get much seats in Tamil Nadu, and lauded the''courage'' of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

''Despite getting less votes, Mamata may retain power...

the whole BJP team is camping in West Bengal.

Legislators and Ministers quitting the party may cause asetback to TMC to an extent, butMamata Banerjee will becomeCM (of West Bengal) for the third time,'' he added.

The terms of the legislative assemblies of the fourstates-Tamil Nadu, Kerala, West Bengal, Assam, and the UnionTerritory of Puducherry end on different dates in May and Juneand the elections are likely to take place in April.