Sign in

JDS should drop the word ‘secular’ from their party’s name: Priyank Kharge

Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge has criticized the JDS for joining the NDA, suggesting they drop the word 'secular' from their party's name.

Published on: Sep 23, 2023, 15:27:36 IST
ANIPosted by
Share
Share via
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • linkedin
  • whatsapp
Copy link
  • copy link

Slamming the Janata Dal (Secular) for joining hands with National Democratic Alliance, Karnataka Minister and Congress leader Priyank Kharge opined that JDS should write to the Election Commission and drop the word ‘secular’ from their party’s name.

Karnataka minister and Congress leader Priyank Kharge. (ANI)
Karnataka minister and Congress leader Priyank Kharge. (ANI)

Priyank Kharge, while talking to the reporters here said that the word ‘secular’ from the JD (S) should be removed as the party has now joined hands with the BJP which the Congress leader accused of being the “most communal party” in the history of independent India.

He further said that there is nothing ‘surprising’ in the move of JD (S) joining the NDA as it was ‘evident’ that BJP central leadership lost their complete confidence in the state leadership after Karnataka polls.

READ | How will BJP-JD(S) alliance impact Karnataka?

“There is nothing surprising because if you see how BJP was moving lethargically after losing the elections in Karnataka, it was very evident that the BJP central leadership has lost their complete confidence in the state leadership...It is very evident that JDS is their primary partner and BJP has become the ‘B’ team for JDS. JDS should write to the Election Commission and drop the word ‘secular’ from their party’s name. Because at one point in time, you claim to be secular, and at the same time you are going ahead and joining hands with the most communal party in the history of independent India...” Priyank said.

He also said Congress will win at the state’s Lok Sabha seats.

READ | JD(S) joins NDA after HDK meets BJP brass

“No matter how much brotherhood they show it will not make a dent in the fortunes of Karnataka. The Lok Sabha elections in the state will be won by the Congress party..,” the Congress leader added.

The Janata Dal (Secular) of former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda on Friday announced alliance with the BJP in Karnataka and formally joined the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

JD(S) leader and former Karnataka chief minister HD Kumaraswamy made the announcement after meeting Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP chief JP Nadda in the national capital.

The JD(S) had aligned with the Congress in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, however, the parties faced a drubbing as the BJP swept 25 out of the 28 seats in Karnataka and even an independent candidate supported by the BJP won from the Mandya constituency.

  • Yamini C S
    ABOUT THE AUTHOR
    Yamini C S

    Yamini CS is a Senior Content Producer at Hindustan Times with nearly six years of experience in digital journalism. She is part of the India News desk, where she works on a wide range of stories cutting across civic issues, city-based developments, politics, governance, public policy, breaking news, trending topics, and international affairs that have an impact on India. Her role involves tracking fast-moving developments, verifying information from official and on-ground sources, and presenting news in a clear, accessible format for a digital-first audience. A significant part of her work includes handling live blogs during major news events, such as elections, court verdicts, political developments, civic disruptions, protests, weather-related alerts, and unfolding national or international incidents. Through live coverage, she focuses on timely updates to help readers follow complex stories as they evolve. Before moving to the broader India News desk, Yamini was associated with the Bengaluru desk at Hindustan Times, where she extensively covered urban governance, infrastructure, traffic and transport issues, weather events, public grievances, and civic administration in the city. This experience strengthened her grounding in city reporting and sharpened her focus on citizen-centric journalism. She began her career as a correspondent with Reuters after completing a postgraduate diploma in journalism from the Indian Institute of Journalism and New Media. Her early training instilled a strong emphasis on accuracy, sourcing, and news ethics, which continue to shape her reporting style. Outside of work, Yamini enjoys reading across genres, listening to music, and spending time with her family, which help her maintain balance in a fast-paced newsroom environment.Read More