Date:28/12/2005 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2005/12/28/stories/2005122815480400.htm

Karnataka - Bangalore

Janata Dal (S) chastened

Special Correspondent

The former Deputy Chief Minister's influence has affected it the most in Mysore district

Among the dissolved zilla panchayats, the JD(S) controlled only Mysore and Hassan
This time, it has been forced to vie for the second place with the BJP
The JD(S) has done well in Hassan and Mandya

It has also performed well in some of the northern districts

Bangalore: The Siddaramaiah-led All India Progressive Janata Dal (AIPJD) played the spoilsport for the Janata Dal (Secular) and put paid to its ambition of securing the first place in the zilla and taluk panchayat elections.

Though the final picture about the verdict of the rural voters is yet to emerge, the Janata Dal (S) has been forced to vie for the second place with the Bharatiya Janata Party and is well behind the Congress.

The Janata Dal (S) had controlled only two out of the 27 dissolved zilla panchayats — Mysore and Hassan. In the latter, the Janata Dal (S) had gained control through defections.

However, the most emphatic of the Janata Dal (S) victories this time has been in Hassan district, where former Prime Minister and party supremo H.D. Deve Gowda is from. The party has worsted its main rival, the Congress, in both the zilla and taluk panchayats elections.

Another of the spectacular victories of the Janata Dal (S) is in Mandya district, from where Governor of Maharashtra and former Chief Minister S.M. Krishna, a bete noire of some leaders of the Janata Dal (S), hails.

The party has also performed well in some of the northern districts which returned BJP candidates to the Legislative Assembly in a big way in 2004. The party has done fairly well in both the Bombay and Hyderabad Karnatak districts.

The district where the Janata Dal (S) has suffered the most on account of the Siddaramaiah factor is Mysore. The party was in control of the dissolved Mysore Zilla Panchayat (Mr. Siddaramaiah is from Mysore). However, the party had a slender majority in the zilla panchayat with 20 seats as against the Congress's 18. This time, the AIPJD is poised to come out as the unchallenged leader of the panchayat raj bodies in the district.

The election results are expected to have a sobering effect on the party, which was engaged in incessant tirade against the Congress though it was sharing power with it.