A day after B S Yediyurappa announced that BJP and JD(S) would enter into an alliance for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, JD(S) H D Kumaraswamy said that the discussions are still at initial phase and no final decision has been arrived at yet. A meeting of party workers has been called on Sunday, where their opinion will be gathered on the same, the former Chief Minister of Karnataka said.
Speaking to reporters in Bengaluru, he said the seat sharing and other things have not been discussed yet, and also date has not been fixed for his Delhi visit. "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 Tuamkuru 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.
BJP-JD(S) Alliance
Yediyurappa on Friday said the BJP will have an understanding with former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda-led JD(S) for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. He also said that the JD(S) will contest in four LS seats in Karnataka, which has a total of 28 constituencies. Taking a dig at JD(S) for the same, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, while questioning the regional party's secular credentials, alleged that it doesn't have any ideology and would do anything for the sake of power.
However, reacting to this development, 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. After the meeting of leaders and office-bearers on September 10, the JD(S) will hold another meeting on September 13, where a formal announcement on the alliance is expected to be decided.
The JD(S) had earlier formed governments in coalition with both BJP and Congress respectively for 20 months from January 2006, and for 14 months from May 2018, with Kumaraswamy as the Chief Minister.
