BENGALURU: Former Prime Minister and Janata Dal Secular (JDS) supremo H.D. Deve Gowda on Tuesday stated that the JDS would go alone in the Lok Sabha polls in 2024 but a decision on extending support to a party to capture power at the Centre would be decided later on that too depending on the prevailing situation.
Deve Gowda was responding to queries on a possible alliance between JDS and Bharatiya Janata Party in the next year’s Lok Sabha polls.
At a press conference here, Deve Gowda recalled that former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had sought the support of JDS MPs after the Congress party fell short by three seats to form the government at the Centre and a decision was taken to back Manmohan Singh’s government for the stability of the country. Adding, he said, the decision to back the Manmohan Singh government was without imposing any conditions.
Deve Gowda stated that his party Janata Dal Secular is not a sinking ship and the party would “no doubt” fight the Lok Sabha polls on its own. He said that the JDS would continue to exist in the days to come and anybody dreaming of the end of JDS are in a state of “illusion.”
“I don’t know how many seats the party would win in the Lok Sabha polls?” he said but the party would contest in all the 28 seats after holding discussions with the defeated MLA nominees and party workers based on the strength of the party in those particular seats.
A committee has been formed under the MLA G.T. Devegowda to chalk out programmes to infuse strength to the JDS by uniting the party workers. After the return of former Chief Minister and party leader H.D. Kumaraswamy from rest, Gowda said a decision would be taken to organize programmes across the State and give strength to the party to capture power in the State.
