Kumaraswamy and BJP to decide on seat sharing in Lok Sabha polls, says Deve Gowda

BENGALURU: Janata Dal Secular (JDS) supremo and former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda on Sunday stated that his party leader and former Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy would discuss with the BJP leaders and decide on seat sharing.

Speaking at a JDS convention in Bengaluru, Deve Gowda said that the talks of alliance were initiated by BJP leaders when he was in New Delhi a couple of days back and the alliance with the BJP is not to make him as the Prime Minister but to save a regional party (JDS).

Gowda said that he explained to the BJP leaders on the position of JDS in each of the parliamentary constituencies of the State but no discussions took place over seat sharing between JDS and BJP for the Lok Sabha polls during his meeting with the BJP leaders in New Delhi.

While the BJP has its base in the districts of Mandya, Hassan, Ramnagar among others, he, however, stated that BJP should not treat JDS that it has lost its base in Lok Sabha seats of the State.

During the discussion with the leaders of BJP in New Delhi, Deve Gowda said that his party has considerable base in Bidar and Chikkamagaluru Lok Sabha constituencies having about 2.8 lakh voters while considerable support for the JDS in Vijayapura and Raichur Lok Sabha seats in north Karnataka and BJP cannot win without the support of his party in Vijayapura and Raichur.

Addressing the gathering, former Chief Minister and JDS leader Kumaraswamy stated that the alliance with BJP has been forged to stop the “arrogance” of the Congress in the state and to protect the plundering of the resources of the state and bring prosperity to the state.

Stating that both the national parties-BJP and Congress party meting out injustice to Karnataka especially in irrigation projects, Kumaraswamy said that the alliance with the BJP is to set things right and secure justice for Karnataka and shatter the dreams of the Congress party of winning about 24 Lok Sabha seats in Karnataka in 2024 elections.

He accused the Congress party of having double standards and appealed to the Muslim community not to believe the Congress party. “You (Muslims) have disappointed me twice by not voting for JDS in the elections,” Kumaraswamy said and stated that he tried to solve the problems of the people without discrimination on caste and religious lines.

Kumaraswamy also criticized the leaders of India National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) involving the Congress party, Trinamool Congress Party, Aam Aadmi Party, Rashtriya Janata Dal, Janata Dal United among others over ignoring JDS supremo Deve Gowda who strived hard for strengthening the secular forces in the country for over four decades.

On I.N.D.I.A., he said, these political parties have come together to throw Prime Minister Narendra Modi out of power at the Centre but stated “What is your fate (of I.N.D.I.A) I know?”.

JDS state unit president C.M. Ibrahim and party leaders attended the convention.