The BJP and the Janata Dal (Secular), which earlier announced a pre-poll alliance for the ensuing Lok Sabha polls, are likely to arrive at a seat-sharing agreement before the end of January. Meanwhile, former Chief Minister and JD(S) party president H.D. Kumaraswamy announced that he will not contest the polls.
Mr. Kumaraswamy told presspersons in New Delhi after meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Sansath Bhavan on Thursday, along with his father and party supremo H.D. Deve Gowda, that there was no confusion in seat sharing. “We will finalise who will contest in which constituency. There could be problems in one or two constituencies that will be addressed. What is important is trust and we should preserve it.” He added: “We will ask only those seats where we are confident of winning. We have a report on it and we will work as per this.”
Incidentally, Mr. Kumaraswamy met the Prime Minister for the first time after the alliance had been announced following a meeting with BJP president J.P. Nadda and Home Minister Amit Shah a couple of months ago. Besides Mr. Deve Gowda, his brother and former Minister H.D. Revanna, nephew Prajwal Revanna, and party legislator C.N. Balakrishna accompanied him. While politics topped the agenda of the meeting, party sources said that they also discussed falling prices of copra and pending irrigation projects of the State, among other issues.
Stating that he does not intend to contest in the parliamentary polls, Mr. Kumaraswamy said: “I am restricted to State politics. There are people who believe that it would be good for Karnataka if I remain in State politics. I have decided to remain here.”
However, when asked if he would become a Central Minister, he said: “We will have to wait and watch. Anything can happen in politics.” Regarding his son Nikhil Kumaraswamy’s chances of contesting, Mr. Kumaraswamy said: “Nikhil will campaign in all the 28 constituencies. People are forcing him to contest from Mandya where he lost. There is sympathy for him among people because he has lost twice already. However, he will not contest in the elections.”
