Amid speculation of JD(S)-BJP pact, Congress launches broadside at regional outfit

Congress leader and Minister H K Patil said, according to him, a leader of the stature of Deve Gowda will not go along with a 'communal party'.

Noorul Hassan Hombal, DHNS, Bengaluru,

Jul 16 2023, 22:28 ist
updated: Jul 17 2023, 06:33 ist

Amid speculations of the BJP-JD(S) alliance for the Lok Sabha polls, Congress ministers Dinesh Gundu Rao and Dr G Parameshwara questioned the Janata Dal's 'secular' credentials on Sunday.

Speculations gained credence with the BJP MLC and general secretary N Ravikumar saying: "Our party high command is said to have invited former prime minister and JD(S) supremo H D Deve Gowda and former chief minister H D Kumaraswamy to Delhi for the talks and both might be going to the national capital soon."

He added that Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP national president J P Nadda will take decisions on matters of such importance. "Whatever decision they take will be beneficial to our party and that is what and how we believe," he said in response to a question.

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Launching a diatribe on Twitter, Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao said: "We have said many times that the JD(S) is a B team of the BJP. Now Kumaraswamy is proving the same by joining hands with BJP. The regional outfit has time and again proved that it's an opportunistic party."

He added the JD(S) had won 59 seats in the 2004 Assembly elections and its present tally is 19. It is a clear indication that theirs is a 'fake secularism' and it is better for the party to drop 'secular' from its name."Kumaraswamy has been offering his services as leader of the opposition on a temporary basis. He should merge his party with the BJP, so that he can officially be the Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly," Rao slammed.

Home minister Parameshwara told reporters here. "It is their party’s (JD-S) decision with whom they should ally. I think if at all they decide to ally with BJP, then it that they are facing an existential crisis,” he said.

Meanwhile, senior Congress leader and Minister H K Patil said, according to him, a leader of the stature of Deve Gowda will not go along with a "communal party". "My preliminary opinion is that media reports in this regard may be false."