Can BJP-JD(S) alliance survive Deve Gowda's Rajya Sabha snub?

The BJP’s decision not to offer a Rajya Sabha ticket to former Prime Minister and JDS patriarch HD Deve Gowda has triggered disappointment within the JDS and raised fresh questions about the future of the BJP-JDS alliance in Karnataka.

At 93, Deve Gowda remains one of the country's oldest active politicians. Had the BJP supported his candidature for another Rajya Sabha term, he would have remained a Member of Parliament for six more years, potentially serving until the age of 99. For a leader who continues to play an active role in Karnataka politics, the prospect of remaining in Parliament carried political significance.

Deve Gowda’s RS bid falters

Sources close to the Deve Gowda family say the veteran leader was keen on continuing in the Rajya Sabha. JDS workers too expected the NDA partner to accommodate the party’s tallest leader.

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However, those expectations have now been dashed. Ironically, Deve Gowda’s current Rajya Sabha term was made possible with the support of Congress in 2020. At that time, the JDS and Congress were political partners. Today, despite the JDS being part of the NDA and enjoying a close alliance with the BJP, the veteran leader's hopes of another Rajya Sabha term appear to have come to an end.

For now, the BJP-JDS alliance remains intact. Neither side is expected to publicly challenge the partnership, given the political stakes involved. Yet the denial of a Rajya Sabha ticket to Deve Gowda has undoubtedly left a scar within JDS ranks.

The development is particularly significant because the JDS has benefited considerably from its alliance with the BJP. Although the party won only two Lok Sabha seats in Karnataka in 2024, the alliance ensured that HD Kumaraswamy secured a place in the Union Cabinet. Many within the JDS therefore expected the BJP to back Deve Gowda for another term in the Rajya Sabha.

Instead, the BJP’s decision has been viewed within sections of the JDS as a clear signal that the national party is unwilling to compromise on its own political priorities, even when it comes to accommodating its alliance partner’s most respected leader.

Alliance under fresh scrutiny

The disappointment extends beyond the Deve Gowda family. JDS workers across Karnataka, particularly in the Old Mysuru region, have expressed frustration over the development. For many party cadres, Deve Gowda is not just another senior politician but the emotional and ideological foundation of the party.

The BJP-JDS alliance itself was born out of political necessity. After the BJP failed to make major inroads into the Vokkaliga community ahead of the 2023 Assembly elections, it turned to the JDS as a strategic ally to strengthen its presence in the Old Mysuru region. The Vokkaliga community remains the core support base of the JDS, making the party an important vehicle for the BJP’s expansion plans in southern Karnataka.

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For the JDS too, the alliance was politically beneficial. The party’s strength had declined to just 19 MLAs in the Assembly, while Congress leader and now Chief Minister DK Shivakumar was steadily expanding his influence among Vokkaliga voters. By joining hands with the BJP, the JDS hoped to prevent a consolidation of Vokkaliga and AHINDA votes behind the Congress leadership of Shivakumar and Siddaramaiah.

However, a JDS leader, who does not want to be named, pointed out that the alliance has never fully translated into a smooth partnership at the grassroots level. In several Vokkaliga-dominated districts such as Mandya, Hassan, Ramanagara, Mysuru, Tumakuru and Bengaluru Rural, BJP and JDS workers have struggled to work together effectively. Mutual suspicion and local rivalries have continued despite the leadership’s efforts to project unity.

Trust deficit may widen

The denial of Rajya Sabha seat to the JDS patriarch is likely to deepen that unease within sections of the party. Many JDS workers feel that if the BJP could not accommodate a leader of Deve Gowda’s stature, it raises questions about how much respect the national party truly has for its alliance partner. Several party insiders believe the decision may further widen the trust deficit between BJP and JDS cadres on the ground.

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According to a close associate of the Deve Gowda family, the disappointment is also personal for the former Prime Minister. Despite maintaining cordial relations with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah, and moving closer to the NDA in recent years, his ambition to remain an active parliamentarian in the final phase of his political career has not materialised.

Any growing dissatisfaction within the JDS may indirectly benefit Congress, particularly Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, who has emerged as the most influential Vokkaliga leader outside the Deve Gowda family.

The political consequences could extend beyond the alliance itself. Any growing dissatisfaction within the JDS may indirectly benefit Congress, particularly Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, who has emerged as the most influential Vokkaliga leader outside the Deve Gowda family. If sections of JDS workers begin questioning the value of the BJP alliance, it could create opportunities for Congress to further expand its influence in the Old Mysuru region.

At 93, former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda’s career spans more than six decades, during which he has been elected multiple times as an MLA, served in the Lok Sabha on six occasions, and represented Karnataka in the Rajya Sabha twice

For now, the BJP-JDS alliance remains intact. Neither side is expected to publicly challenge the partnership, given the political stakes involved. Yet the denial of a Rajya Sabha ticket to Deve Gowda has undoubtedly left a scar within JDS ranks.

Whether this episode marks the final parliamentary chapter in Deve Gowda’s remarkable political journey or becomes the beginning of a larger political realignment within Karnataka's Vokkaliga politics remains to be seen. What is clear, however, is that the BJP’s decision has disappointed not only a 93-year-old former Prime Minister but also thousands of JDS workers who believed their party founder deserved one final term in Parliament.

Kumaraswamy steps in

Interestingly, despite the disappointment over the BJP's decision not to offer a Rajya Sabha ticket to former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda, Union Minister HD Kumaraswamy appears determined to keep the BJP-JD(S) alliance intact. Political observers believe Kumaraswamy, who continues to nurture ambitions of becoming Karnataka Chief Minister for a third time with NDA support, is keen to prevent any strain in the partnership.

According to sources, soon after learning that Deve Gowda would not be accommodated in the Rajya Sabha, Kumaraswamy made a surprise political move by announcing a JDS candidate for the Karnataka Legislative Council elections. The decision has transformed what was expected to be an uncontested election into a competitive contest.

Congress has fielded four candidates and the BJP two, with both parties initially having sufficient numbers to secure victory. However, the entry of a JD(S) candidate has altered the arithmetic. Banking on BJP support, the JDS nominee is expected to seek a few additional votes, potentially opening the door for cross-voting. Congress, too, may look for support from rival camps for its extra candidate.

Sources indicate Kumaraswamy secured the consent of BJP leaders in Delhi before making the announcement, signalling that the alliance remains politically alive despite recent setbacks.

A six-decade political journey

At 93, former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda’s career spans more than six decades, during which he has been elected multiple times as an MLA, served in the Lok Sabha on six occasions, and represented Karnataka in the Rajya Sabha twice. More significantly, for nearly three decades, Deve Gowda has rarely been out of a position of political relevance. Since becoming Karnataka Chief Minister in 1994, he served as Prime Minister in 1996, later remained active as a Lok Sabha MP, and found his way back to Parliament through the Rajya Sabha after electoral setbacks.

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Even when he lost the Hassan Lok Sabha election in 1999 and the Tumakuru election in 2019, his absence from national politics was temporary. Following the 2019 defeat, he returned to Parliament in 2020 through the Rajya Sabha with Congress’s support, despite the JD(S) not having sufficient numbers on its own. Barring a few brief gaps, Deve Gowda has continuously occupied positions of power or influence—as an MLA, Chief Minister, Prime Minister, Lok Sabha MP, Rajya Sabha MP, or national party leader—making him one of the most enduring political figures in Karnataka and India. But this time, it seems his place in the corridors of power is ending.

HD Deve Gowda entered electoral politics in the early 1960s. He was first elected to the Karnataka Legislative Assembly from Holenarasipura in 1962. As of 2026, his political career spans about 64 years, meaning he has remained active in electoral politics for more than six decades. Now, with the BJP declining to offer him another Rajya Sabha term, that remarkable political journey appears to be nearing its final chapter.