The JD(S)and Congress has not fielded any candidate against Bangarappa. In many seats, Congress, JD(S), JD(U)and JD (S) all are contesting. However through informal arrangements, they field weak candidates to enable the strongest among them to win
This is yet another whammy for the BJP who was depending on division of secular votes to scrap through. This turns as what appears as a multi-polar contest to a bi-polar contest between secular parties viz BJP though there is no pre-poll alliance among the secular parties. However the secular parties have laid the ground for post-alliance.
Vote Share 2004
Congress 37.5 BJP 28.0 JD(S)& JD(U) 22.8
Much of BJP's winning seats were because of its alliance with JD(U) who are contesting independently this time round
In the last ULB elections (Sept 2007) BJP came a poor third 15-20% (vote share) behind the Congress. And the urban areas are supposed to be BJP's strongholds
