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‘Can Help BJP in Karnataka,’ Suggests Ex-CM Kumaraswamy Citing Developments in Maharashtra
Speaking at a rally in Hunsur region, Kumaraswamy wondered what Congress has to say about its efforts to form government in Maharashtra with the Shiv Sena, which, he said, had a harder position on Hindutva than the BJP.
New Delhi: Janata Dal (Secular) leader and former Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy has suggested that his party could form an alliance with the BJP, if the saffron party is not able to muster enough seats to remain in power after the December 5 bypolls in the state for 15 of the 17 vacant Assembly seats.
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Kumaraswamy, while making the aforementioned remark, cited developments in Maharashtra, where his party’s former ally Congress (along with the NCP) is in talks with the Shiv Sena to form the government in the state.
Speaking at a rally in Hunsur region, the former Karnataka Chief Minister said, “What does the Congress have to say about Maharashtra? Everyone knows that the Shiv Sena has had a harder position on Hindutva, than the BJP. Now, they are trying to ally with Shiv Sena and then pointing fingers at us, accusing us of moving closer to the communal BJP.”
Calling BJP ‘soft face of Hindutva,’ he even suggested that the Congress should join hands with the saffron party.
“Today everyone does what is beneficial for them. They need to look at themselves before pointing fingers at the JD(S). We are not allied with anyone in Karnataka and are equidistant from the two national parties,” he added.
The BJP and JD(S) have been in an alliance earlier. In 2006, the two parties formed the government with Kumaraswamy as the Chief Minister. The alliance, however, was called off 20 months later, citing JD(S) founder and president, former Prime Minister Deve Gowda’s intent to protect ‘secular’ credentials of the party.
In 2018, Congress-JD(S) formed a coalition government in Karnataka, which collapsed in July 2019 after 17 MLAs-14 from Congress and 3 from JD(S)-rebelled against it. The MLAs were later disqualified by then-speaker Ramesh Kumar.
However, recently, the Supreme Court, while maintaining their disqualification, made them eligible to contest bypolls for their respective constituencies.
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