POLITICS

JDS Launches 7-Day Candidate Identification Drive for 369 GBA Wards; NDA Strategy in Focus

The Bengaluru Live March 3, 2026 9:14 PM 2 minutes read

📘 Read this story in Kannada

Bengaluru: The Janata Dal (Secular) has set a one-week deadline to identify party candidates for all 369 wards of the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA), signalling an accelerated election strategy in the city.

State party president H.M. Ramesh Gowda, speaking at a meeting of five GBA division heads and Assembly constituency presidents at the party’s state office, JP Bhavan, said the final list of candidates will be reviewed and cleared by former Chief Minister and state leader H.D. Kumaraswamy.

He stated that, following directions from national and state leadership, candidate selection must prioritise organisational strength and winnability criteria. Senior leaders have issued clear guidelines to ensure swift identification across all wards.

NDA Alliance Strategy

Ramesh Gowda reiterated that the JDS–BJP NDA alliance must come to power in the Greater Bengaluru Authority, calling it the commitment of party patriarch H.D. Deve Gowda and Kumaraswamy. He directed local leaders to work in coordination, keeping alliance discipline intact and avoiding any actions that may weaken the coalition.

Membership Drive & Mega Rally Plan

The party has also decided to intensify its membership campaign at booth and ward levels, bringing active workers to the forefront. Senior leadership is considering organising a large-scale rally in Bengaluru soon, and leaders were urged to ensure its success.

Call for Unity & Grassroots Coordination

During the meeting, emphasis was laid on coordination among the five GBA division presidents and Assembly-level leaders. Party leaders stressed that unity remains the party’s strength and that the developmental contributions of Deve Gowda and Kumaraswamy to Bengaluru must be effectively communicated to the electorate.

Several senior leaders, including Bengaluru North district president and former MLA E. Krishnappa, former MLA K.A. Tippeswamy, East district president Nataraj Gangadhar, and Greater Bengaluru women’s wing president Shaila Santosh Rao, were present at the meeting.