Deve Gowda says no tie-up with BJP in 2024 LS polls

Former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda reiterated on Tuesday that his party JD(S) will not tie up with the BJP in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

The statement comes right after his son, former CM H.D. Kumaraswamy's statement that JD(S) and BJP will fight unitedly against the ruling Congress party.

Deve Gowda said the JD(S) would face parliamentary elections independently thus contradicting his son Kumaraswamy's statement. "There is still sufficient time for the Lok Sabha polls and an appropriate decision would be taken later," Kumaraswamy had stated earlier.

Deve Gowda further said, "Whether the JD(S) won one or two to six seats, his party will contest elections independently. The party would contest in seats where it has a strong base."

When asked about the JD(S)-BJP tie up against the Congress in Karnataka, CM Siddaramaiah maintained that both parties are holding talks in that regard.

"We do not bother if they get united. We are going to win 15 to 20 Lok Sabha seats in the state. We will emerge victorious irrespective of whether they (JD(S) and BJP) come together or not," Siddaramaiah stated.

Karnataka has 28 Lok Sabha seats. In 2019, BJP won 25 seats. Congress and JD(S) managed to win one seat each. Another seat was won by independent candidate. Sumalatha Ambareesh.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah stated in Hubballi that with tie up or no tie up, the Congress will win 15 to 20 Lok Sabha seats in Karnataka.