JD-S is not bankrupt to join hands with BJP: Kumaraswamy

  Janata Dal-Secular President and former Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy on Sunday asserted that his party is not bankrupt to join hands with the Bharatiya Janata Party in the run up to the 2024 Lok Sabha Elections.  

In response to comments made by former minister Sunil Kumar to 'Kannada Prabha', Kumarswamy said, "The JDS is opposing the government in the House (Karnataka assembly) along with the BJP as it is the official opposition party there. But there is no intention to beg at the door of the party."

He claimed that the BJP had abandoned Karnataka in the same way that the Congress had. After the drubbing both BJP and JDS received in the May 10 Assembly elections, speculation started in state politics that the JDS might explore the possibility of entering an electoral alliance with the BJP for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. 

Kumaraswamy's certain remarks lent credence to the theory that both JDS and BJP might come closer electorally. However, on Sunday, Kumaraswamy put to rest all speculations about a possible tie-up.

It may be recalled that a few days ago, JDS supremo HD Deve Gowda had ruled out any truck with the BJP. "There is no question of joining hands with anybody including the BJP in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. JDS is strong enough to contest the polls on it's own," the former Prime Minister had said.