Amid speculations of tie-up with the BJP in the Lok Sabha elections scheduled next year, Janata Dal (Secular) leader H D Kumaraswamy said that the discussions are still in the “initial phase”. His remarks come a day after BJP leader and former Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa said that the BJP and the JD(S) have reached an understanding.
Speaking to reporters in Bengaluru, Kumaraswamy said, “These are initial phases of discussions. I have seen reports in the media on this (understanding) for the last couple of days…I have seen senior leader Yediyurappa’s statement. He has spoken good about our party, Deve Gowda (JDS supremo) and me. Thank him for his statement that in the days to come we will work together.”
He added that seat sharing have not been discussed, as well as the date for his Delhi visit has also not been fixed.
“There are reports in the media that — we are adamant on the Mandya seat, what will happen to the sitting MP there, what will happen to Tumakuru and Kolar seats — all these have not yet been discussed. I appeal to media friends not to speculate as they want, when the discussions are still at the initial phase,” Kumaraswamy said, as quoted by PTI.
Media is projecting as though understanding has been finalised, he further said.
“But in my opinion there is still time for it, still a lot of discussions are yet to happen. It is not give and take that is important, trust and respect is important for me.
“A meeting of party workers has been called on Sunday, where their opinion will be gathered,” the former CM said.
BS Yediyurappa, who is also BJP parliamentary board member, on Friday said the saffron party will have an understanding with former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda-led JD(S) for the Lok Sabha elections in 2024, adding that as part of the poll understanding, the JD(S) will contest in four LS seats in Karnataka, which has a total of 28 constituencies.
When asked whether Deve Gowda has agreed for alliance, Kumaraswamy said all these are preliminary phases of discussions and whether the party supremo has agreed or not will be known in the days to come.
In the 2019 Assembly elections, the BJP had swept the polls winning 25 seats, while an independent (Sumalatha Ambareesh from Mandya) backed by it won one seat. The Congress and JD(S) won one seat each.