JDS may extend 'issue-based' support to BJP, will never think of merger: Kumaraswamy
Dec 20, 2020
Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], December 20 : Former Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy on Sunday said that Janata Dal (Secular) may extend issue-based support to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the coming days in public interest.
The JD (S) leader said that his party is a party of Kannadigas with self-esteem and it "will never think of political merger."
In a series of tweets, he also attacked the Congress party, with which JDS formed the Karnataka government in 2018.
"The Janata Dal (S), which is a party of Kannadigas with self-esteem, will never think of political merger. The party, which is a strong voice of the people, will never display such stupidity. At the most we may extend issue-based support to the BJP if need be in the coming days in public interest. There is no importance for any imaginary reports on a political merger," Kumaraswamy tweeted.
Attacking the Congress party, Kumaraswamy tweeted, "the Congress high command, which had ridiculed us as BJP's B team before the Assembly polls, actually came to our doorsteps after the polls and extended an invitation to form a coalition government with it."
"We would not have formed the government with the Congress if we're to be BJP's B team. There is no tacit understanding with the BJP as alleged by the Congress. Only an issue-based understanding is possible," he added.
Kumaraswamy asserted that JD (S) took many welfare measures and the situation of committing suicide by merging itself with the other party has not come.
"People trust the JD (S) which took up welfare measures like a waiver of farm loans and Badavara Bandhu besides conducting itself as per the aspirations of former prime minister H. D. Deve Gowda known for disciplined administration," he tweeted.
"I want to clarify that for such a party like the JD (S), the situation of committing suicide by merging itself with other party has not come. I don't foresee such a situation gripping us in future too," he added.
To keep BJP out of power, Congres and JD (S) had joined hand with others to form government with Kumaraswamy as Chief Minister after no party got a clear majority in the 2018 assembly polls.
After Lok Sabha Elections 2019, internal differences cropped up and the rebellion by some MLAs led to collapse of the coalition government last year. Since then, both Congress and JD(S) leaders have been blaming each other for it.
