“Will fight battle independently on our own”: JD(S) chief HD Deve Gowda on 2024 LS polls

Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], July 25 (ANI): Ruling out the possibility of forging a pact with Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) ahead of next year’s Lok Sabha polls, the Janata Dal (Secular) chief HD Deve Gowda on Tuesday said that his party will go all alone into the polls.

The former Prime Minister was addressing a press briefing here.

Asserting that, the JD(S) will not come into an electoral tie-up in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Deve Gowda said, “JDS will never sink…We will fight for parliament elections independently and will not take any help from any party. Let me be very clear. There is no question of aligning with anybody, we will fight the battle independently on our own.”

Gowda’s son and former Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy said last week his party would work together with the BJP against the Congress government on various issues, giving rise to speculations that the two parties joining hands for next year’s polls.

Earlier on Monday, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar alleged that the leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Janata Dal (Secular) together are planning to “destabilise” the Congress government in the state.

Talking to the reporters here, Shivakumar alleged that the leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Janata Dal (Secular) have flown out to Singapore only to hatch a plan against the Siddaramaiah government in Karnataka.

“BJP and JD(S) leaders are trying to enter into a pact. They could not have a meeting in Bengaluru or in New Delhi and have now booked tickets to Singapore. Our enemies have become friends. I have information on people who have flown out (to Singapore) only to hatch a plan to destabilise the Congress government in Karnataka,” Shivakumar said.

On Sunday, HD Kumaraswamy reportedly flew to Singapore for unknown reasons after conducting a press conference with the former State Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai.

On Friday, former chief ministers Basavaraj Bommai and HD Kumaraswamy held a joint press conference in Bengaluru and announced that they will work together against the Congress-led government in the state on various issues.

Both parties came along on the issue of deployment of the IAS officers at a hotel where the Opposition parties’ meeting was held on July 18.

BJP and JD (S) on Thursday submitted a memorandum to Karnataka Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot requesting a probe into IAS officers’ deployment.

BJP leader Basavaraj Bommai and JD(S) leader HD Kumaraswamy, along with MLAs of their respective parties met Governor Gehlot and handed over the memorandum to him.

Questioning the style of governance in Karnataka, Opposition parties, the BJP and the JD(S), Wednesday slammed Legislative Assembly Speaker UT Khader’s decision to suspend 10 BJP MLAs and accused the Congress government of suppressing the Opposition for highlighting the mistakes of the government.

MLAs were protesting at the well of the House against the state government for allegedly violating norms and deputing IAS officers to welcome leaders from various parties for the recently held meeting of Opposition parties in Bengaluru.