Bengaluru: The Janata Dal Secular (JDS), a regional political outfit has forged an alliance with Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to contest ensuing Lok Sabha elections together but things aren’t going smooth in Karnataka after JDS leaders allege that its alliance partner-BJP has initiated “unilateral” decisions.
At the JDS Core Committee meeting held in Bengaluru on Monday, JDS leaders expressed displeasure over the attitude of BJP leaders and pointed out that BJP has not invited either its national president and former Prime Minister H.D. Devegowda or State Unit president H.D. Kumaraswamy for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s campaign in Shivamogga held on Monday.
Seeking answers from party senior leaders, JDS leaders pointed out to them that BJP has announced its candidates for 20 Lok Sabha seats without having consultation with JDS leaders and still there is no confirmation from BJP on sparing Kolar Lok Sabha seat to JDS.
“The attitude of BJP looks detrimental for the survival of JDS in Karnataka,” asserted the leaders and stated that BJP nominees would win in about 18 Lok Sabha seats in Karnataka with the support of JDS but BJP is not taking JDS into confidence and questioned “If this is the situation at the beginning of the polls, what next?”
Some JDS leaders pointing at the attitude of BJP leaders said that BJP State Unit leaders have not invited nor informed JDS leaders either at the State or district levels on the election campaigning held in Kalaburagi where Narendra Modi addressed the campaigning on Saturday.
Over their displeasure over seat sharing, JDS functionaries questioned senior party leaders initially, it was discussed to give 5 Lok Sabha seats to JDS and later it came down to Hassan, Mandya, and Kolar but now it looks like JDS has to settle for Hassan and Mandya. “What was the need to have an alliance with BJP if JDS had to settle for two seats?” asked the JDS party men.
Noting down the sentiments expressed by his party men, H.D. Devegowda directed Kumaraswamy to meet Union Minister for Home Amit Shah and BJP National President J.P. Nadda to sort out the matter. If needed, Devegowda assured his party men that he would fly to New Delhi to discuss with BJP leaders the concerns expressed by his party men.
Kumaraswamy told his party leaders that he would not go against the interests of the party and BJP leaders, too, are aware of my commitment to the party.
