Are they coming or not? Talking about the BJP-JDS pact in Karnataka, HD Kumaraswamy says… 

Janata Dal (Secular) leader HD Kumaraswamy has dismissed talk of his party forming an alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party ahead of next year’s Lok Sabha elections, explaining that talks are still at an “early stage” and “a lot of discussion is still going on”. . The former chief minister said BJP leader BS Yediyurappa’s comment that there was an agreement reflected his “personal reaction”. “Yediyurappa’s reaction is his personal… So far there has been no discussion about seat sharing or anything else. We had a cordial meeting… These are preliminary stages of discussions… He (Mr Yediyurappa) spoke well of our party… (I thank him for the statement)”, Kumaraswamy said today.

The JDS leader also nixed media reports claiming his party is “adamant” on being allowed to stand for the Mandya Lok Sabha seat – won by a BJP-backed independent candidate in 2019 – and at least two others, including the Tumkur seat party boss HD Deve Gowda unsuccessfully contested.

all these have not yet been discussed. I appeal to media friends not to speculate when discussions are still in an initial phase. Meeting of party workers has been called… their opinion will be gathered.”

A meeting had also been held Wednesday – at Mr Kumaraswamy’s Bengaluru home – to canvas party leaders’ opinions on joining hands with the BJP. On Thursday Mr Yediyurappa claimed the BJP and the JDS had struck a deal, one that will see the smaller party contest four of the state’s 28 Lok Sabha seats and which “will help us win 25 or 26 seats”. The BJP is now without a government in South India. The party was booted out of Tamil Nadu in 2021 and routed in Kerala. Both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh have also proven resistant.

Of these states, Telangana votes for a new government later this year and the BJP is eager to have local footprints in each state as it builds back up ahead of next year’s mega election. Keeping this in mind, the AIADMK alliance has been renewed and talks are also going on with smaller parties in Kerala. BJP is already in the coalition government in Puducherry.