Recent remarks by Janata Dal (Secular) president H D Deve Gowda, a visit by state Congress leader Siddaramaiah to meet party chief Rahul Gandhi, and moves by the alliance partners in Karnataka to revamp their state units suggest a premature end to the year-old Congress-JD(S) coalition and possible state elections by the year-end.
Since the big loss in Lok Sabha polls — the Congress-JD(S) alliance won one seat each out of 28 in Karnataka — JD(S) leaders, including Deve Gowda, have stated during internal meetings that the party should be prepared for early Assembly polls.
On the sidelines of a meeting of JD(S) workers and candidates, the former Prime Minister said he has no doubts that there will be mid-term polls in the state. The remarks came following reports that former CM Siddaramaiah, during a meeting with Rahul Gandhi in New Delhi on Wednesday, had suggested calling time on the coalition since it is hurting the party.