BD NarayankarBagalkot (Karnataka), April 2 -- If Indian politics has a talent for irony, Bagalkot seems to have been chosen this season to display it in full colour: the Janata Dal (Secular) is actively campaigning alongside the BJP in support of a BJP candidate, as a by-election unfolds, shaped by history, caste equations and shifting alliances.
A contest that might otherwise have remained routine has acquired added significance, thanks largely to the visible role of JDS leaders campaigning for the BJP candidate. The development reflects the evolving political alignments in Karnataka, where tactical cooperation between parties has become increasingly common in recent years.
At the centre of the contest are Veerbhadraiah Charantimath of t...