Former Prime Minister and JDS leader HD Deve Gowda has confirmed that his party and the BJP will contest the upcoming Lok Sabha polls together in Karnataka.
The JDS supremo’s confirmation comes days after BJP veteran and former Karnataka chief minister BS Yediyurappa on September 8 claimed that Union Home Minister Amit Shah has agreed to give four Lok Sabha seats to the JDS as part of the poll understanding between the two parties.
Addressing a party programme in Bengaluru on Sunday (September 10), Deve Gowda confirmed that the BJP and JDS will contest the general elections in alliance with each other in Karnataka and the leaders have agreed to it.
He said that former Karnataka CM HD Kumaraswamy and Prime Minister Narendra Modi will discuss and decide on the seat sharing for the JDS.
Reason for the alliance
He said that he has taken this decision to save the existence of his regional party.
Notably, the JDS suffered a massive setback in the Assembly elections in Karnataka this year as the party which was hoping to play the role of ‘kingmaker’ before the elections witnessed a huge fall from 37 seats in 2018 to 19 in 2023. The party also declined in terms of vote percentage secured from 18.36% in 2018 to 13.3% in 2023.
The BJP, on the other hand, which was hoping to retain its only southern state it ruled before May this year, and what it calls the “gateway to the South”, was ousted out of power by Congress which returned to power with a massive majority.
BJP’s setback in Karnataka in the Assembly elections may possibly be a reason for the alliance, which is, however, yet to be formally announced by the BJP top leadership.
Deve Gowda also took a swipe at the Opposition’s I.N.D.I.A alliance and said that they did not invite him, who is “such a big secular leader”, to the bloc to be a part of it.
Deve Gowda had earlier said that his party would fight the Lok Sabha elections independently.
"JDS will field candidates for Lok Sabha polls only in segments where the party is strong, after consulting cadres," he had said.
Earlier, Yediyurappa had said that Deve Gowda met the Prime Minister and finalised fou seats.
“I'm happy about that, Deve Gowda ji has met our Prime Minister, and already they have finalised four seats. I welcome that.... I feel happy, BJP and JD(S) will have an understanding. Amit Shah (Union Home Minister) has agreed to give four Lok Sabha seats (to JD(S))," the four-time Chief Minister said in response to a question.
Speaking to reporters, he said, "This has given us great strength and this will help us in winning 25 or 26 Lok Sabha seats together."
