Talk of electoral tie-up with BJP premature, says JD(S) leader Kumaraswamy; attacks Cong over Oppn meeting

Janata Dal (Secular) leader H D Kumaraswamy on Monday termed as "premature" talks of an electoral tie-up between his party and the BJP for the Lok Sabha elections next year.

He also attacked the Congress over the meeting of Opposition leaders here, saying it's trying to project it as a great achievement while the party-ruled Government in Karnataka is not bothered about suicide of farmers.

On reports that the JD(S) may join hands with the BJP for the Parliamentary elections, he termed it as "premature". "(Lok Sabha) Elections are still 8-9 months away. Let's see", Kumaraswamy told reporters here.

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Without referring to the Congress, the former Chief Minister said banners have been put up along the roads here for the meeting and they are trying to project the event as if they have made some great achievement that no one else has done.

In the elections to the 224-member Assembly held in May, the Congress won 135 seats, the BJP 66 and the JD(S) headed by former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda 19.

Citing media reports, Kumaraswamy said 42 farmers have committed suicide in Karnataka and the Congress government in the State is not worried over this. The government has not even appealed to the farmers not to take extreme steps, he alleged.

"Mahagathbandhan (grand alliance) and other programmes are not important for me. For the past two months in Karnataka. after the new government took over, 42 farmers have committed suicide," Kumaraswamy told reporters here.

The JD(S) second-in-command charged the Congress government with not being bothered about farmers’ suicide.

In the Congress government's budget presented recently, he said, on the pretext of (implementing) five 'guarantees' (poll promises), the agriculture sector has been ignored.

Kumaraswamy said the government has not given any "message" till now to instill confidence among farmers. "I will call it a useless government because it has no financial discipline from the beginning itself. They are burdening people with loans. They are indulging in loot in the name of five guarantees," he alleged.

Taking a dig at the grand show of ‘Mahagathbandhan’ meeting in Bengaluru, Kumaraswamy said, "The grand celebrations taking place here after inviting ‘great leaders of India’ and putting up their big posters right from Airport to the Taj Westend Hotel. Are the celebrations taking place on the tombs of the farmers? This government should be ashamed of it."

On speculation in some quarters that he may be made the Leader of Opposition in the Karnataka Legislative Assembly by the BJP, he said he has no information on the subject, adding, he is learning about such things from discussions happening in the media.

He also ruled out that possibility. Kumaraswamy said, “I have no invitation either from the (Congress led) Mahagathbandhan, or even from the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) (for its meeting). We will see when the invitation comes. We will decide after discussions in our party."

"I would request the BJP leaders that there are many able leaders (in BJP), 66 of them have won. I would also request the BJP leaders in Delhi to appoint someone from BJP as the leader of the opposition without wasting time, which will be appropriate," he said.

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He said he would like to tell BJP central leaders that there was neither any discussion with the JD(S) nor had he put forth any demand.

On what would be his stand if he is offered the position, Kumaraswamy said, "No. Our party has won 19 seats and they have won 66 seats. There are able leaders there (in BJP) – there are former chief ministers and former ministers, who are capable of discharging their duties as opposition leader. It will be appropriate if they are made the opposition leader."

He ruled out the possibility of switching to national politics. "There is indication of moving to national politics, or becoming union minister as some people are writing (in newspapers) that I am going to become a minister. Neither any ministerial position nor opposition leader…I will work as an ordinary member of the legislative assembly performing my duty towards raising my voice on behalf of the people of the state," Kumaraswamy said.