Will the lack of Congress-JD(S) pre-poll alliance help BJP in winning RR Nagar?

RR Nagar will go into polls on May 28. And while BJP has its plans chalked out, there is no alliance between Congress and JD(S) in the constituency. Will this help BJP win the assembly constituency?

Karnataka went into the state assembly elections in only 222 out of 224. The two remaining constituencies were the Rajarajeshwari Nagar (RR Nagar) and Jayanagar constituencies. While the polling in Jayanagar was cancelled owing to the death of sitting BJP MLA BN Vijayakumar, RR nagar's was cancelled due to the controversies surrounding its MLA Congress' N Munirathna.

Cases have been filed against Congress' Muniratna Naidu in connection with the seizure of over 9,000 voter ID cards in an apartment in Bengaluru's RR Nagar. Earlier this month, 9,746 voter cards were seized from a house in SLV Park View Apartments in RR Nagar.

This has led to JD(S) refusing to join hands with the Congress in the assembly constituency although the two parties have jointly formed the government in Karnataka.

Negotiations were on between Congress and JD(S) on Friday but the leaders failed to arrive at an amicable solution. The key negotiators were DK Shivakumar of Congress and chief minister HD Kumaraswamy for JD(S).

The two were to decide on who will gain the combined support of the two parties to take on BJP's Tulasi Muniraju Gowda. BJP and JD(S) fielding Vokkaliga community candidates are sure to divide the voters in the constituency.

GH Ramachandra crossed over from BJP to JD(S) after he was denied a ticket.

However, not arriving at a definite conclusion will only hurt the chances of Congress and JD(S). While Muniratna had a considerable fanbase, it has been shaken after the controversies he is embroiled in. GH Ramachandra is hardly a force to reckon with and him being a turncoat will also work against the JD(S) leader. Muniraju Gowda can cash in on the lack of certainty between the two parties and win in the elections.