Karnataka Polls: CPI-M’s Tactical Alliance with JD(S) and RPI-K, Other Left Parties Also in the Fray

While the Indian National Congress (INC) and the BJP are in a race to form a majority government in the Karnataka Assembly, the Left and other political parties have entered the fray to provide an alternative voice in the Assembly.

The Janata Dal (Secular) emerged as the kingmaker in 2018 and manoeuvred their leader, HD Kumaraswamy to the chief minister’s post. This time, they have a tactical alliance with the Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] and the Republican Party of India (Prakash Ambedkar faction) (RPI-K).

The RPI-K will contest for 10 seats, while the CPI(M) will contest for four.    

The JD(S) has announced that it will provide outside support to RPI-K and CPI(M) candidates on three seats each.

The Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) Liberation (CPI-ML) will contest from two seats, namely Krishnarajapuram (KR Puram) in Bengaluru Urban district and Kanakagiri (SC reserved seat) in Koppal district. The CPI(M) and CPI-ML will both be in the race for the KR Puram seat. The sitting MLA for this seat is turncoat Byrathi Basavaraj who defected from Congress to BJP in 2019. He will contest again from the same seat as a BJP candidate.

The CPI(M) will contest from four seats, namely, KR Puram (Bengaluru Urban district), Gulbarga Rural (Kalaburagi district), Bagepalli (Chikkaballapura district), and KGF (Kolar district).

The Communist Party of India (CPI) will contest from seven seats, namely KGF (Kolar district), Aland (Kalaburagi district), Jevargi (Kalaburagi district), Kudligi (Vijayanagara district), Sira (Tumkur district), Mudigere (Chikmanglur district) and Madikeri (Kodagu district).

The Socialist Unity Centre of India (Communist) [SUCI(C)] has decided to field 14 candidates for the upcoming Karnataka Assembly election. These seats are spread across 10 districts of the state, namely, Rajajinagar and Rajarajeshwari Nagar (both Bengaluru urban district), Ballari City, Kampli (both Ballari district), Davangere south (Davangere district), Dharwad Rural (Dharwad district), Gulbarga Dakshin, Gulbarga Rural (both Kalaburagi district), Krishnaraja, Chamaraja (both Mysore district), Raichur (Raichur district), Tumkur city (Tumkur district), Vijayapura City (Vijayapura district), and Yadgir (Yadgir district).

The CPI(M) and SUCI(C) will both be in the race for the Gulbarga rural seat; the CPI-ML and CPI(M) candidates will face each other in KR Puram (Bengaluru Urban district), and the CPI and CPI(M) candidates will be in the fray for KGF.

CPI(M) State Secretary, U Basavaraj, said that the main objective is to ensure the defeat of the BJP. Speaking to NewsClick, he said, “Even though we held discussions, the Left parties could not come to an understanding. All the parties wanted to put up candidates in the regions where they have a presence. If there are other Left candidates, we will see it as a friendly contest. We have been working together for several years, and we will continue working together after the elections as well.”

State President of the RPI-K, R Mohan Raj, said that his organisation has allied with CPI(M) and JD(S) because of the possibility to strike a regional alliance. Speaking to NewsClick, he said, “During the 2017 Presidential elections, CPI(M) was the first party to suggest the name of Prakash Ambedkar for President. This possibility was scuttled by Congress as it supported Meira Kumar. Moreover, we have worked with the CPI(M) for several years in Karnataka to protect constitutional values. On April 14, Prakash Ambedkar went to Telangana to meet K Chandrashekhar Rao (for the unveiling of a 125-foot Ambedkar statue). KCR, Sharad Pawar, Prakash Ambedkar, and HD Kumaraswamy have met on several occasions and discussed the possibility of a regional alliance for 2024.”

R Mohan Raj will contest from the Pulakeshinagar constituency in the Bengaluru Urban district. It will prove to be a tough fight, as the former MLA from that seat, Akhanda Srinivas Murthy, will also be contesting as an Independent after Congress denied him a ticket. Coincidentally, Akhanda Srinivas Murthy had won with the largest margin in the 2018 Assembly elections.