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JD(S) will contest 2024 Lok Sabha polls on its own, says Deve Gowda
Deve Gowda’s assertion seems to be in contradiction to the comments made by his son and JD(S) leader HD Kumaraswamy, last week
Amid growing bonhomie between Janata Dal (Secular) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), former Prime Minister and JD(S) leader HD Deve Gowda on Tuesday clarified that his party would fight the 2024 Lok Sabha elections independently, ruling out the possibility of an electoral tie-up with the National Democratic Alliance (NDA).
“We will contest where we have strength. We will decide at a later date. There is no question of alliance with anybody. We will strengthen our party and nobody can finish it,” the former prime minister said at a press conference on Tuesday.
Deve Gowda’s assertion seems to be in contradiction to the comments made by his son and JD(S) leader HD Kumaraswamy, last week. On July 21, BJP leader and former chief minister Basavaraj Bommai and Kumaraswamy held a joint press conference in Bengaluru. They had said they have decided to join hands and work as one against the Congress government in the state on different issues.
“BJP is in the opposition, and we are also in the opposition. We have decided to fight against this government together, both inside and outside the house. This decision has been taken for the welfare of the state,” Kumaraswamy had said.
This was after the JD(S) and the BJP MLAs, on July 19, had boycotted the Assembly session after 10 BJP legislators were suspended from the House for “indecent and disrespectful conduct”.
Deve Gowda, on Tuesday, also mentioned that a committee led by senior party leader GT Devegowda would be formed to strengthen the party. It will consist of several leaders who would tour the state. “We will soon hold an event and the date will be fixed once Kumaraswamy returns from abroad,” he added.
Kumaraswamy reportedly flew to Singapore on Sunday for unknown reasons. A JD(S) spokesperson, seeking anonymity, said that Kumaraswamy had gone abroad for medical reasons.
Meanwhile, amid rumours of the BJP-JD(S) alliance, deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar on Tuesday said that the Congress government is strong and stable. “They [BJP and JD(S)] cannot destabilise our government. They are making some political strategy for their political gains but nothing will work,” Shivakumar asserted.
Reacting to a question on Kumaraswamy’s Singapore visit, Shivakumar, on Monday, said that there is a plot to topple the Congress government in the state, and that secret discussions were being held in Singapore.
State food and civil supplies minister KH Muniyappa said that there is no question of destabilising the government. “There is no question of destabilising the government. It’s been two months since the government was formed. Who would destabilise it? I don’t know in what sense Shivakumar made the statement. Such a situation has not come and I believe it will not come. Nobody will leave Congress,” Muniyappa said.
