An alliance is likely between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Janata Dal (Secular) (JD(S)) in Karnataka, threatening to overturn the recently-elected Congress government. While the Congress party is staying bold-faced and vigilant, the JD(S) has gone on record to deny any such claims.
Speaking to reporters in Bengaluru on Tuesday, JD(S) chief HD Devegowda said that there is "no question" of an alliance between the BJP and his party.
"Let me be very clear. There is no question of aligning with anybody. We will fight the battle independently on our own," the former prime minister said.
#WATCH | Bengaluru: On alleged alliance between JDS and BJP in Karnataka, JDS chief HD Devegowda says, "Let me be very clear. There is no question of aligning with anybody, we will fight the battle independently on our own." pic.twitter.com/ok1lxJivzl
— ANI (@ANI) July 25, 2023
Amid rumours of the BJP-JDS alliance, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Tuesday also spoke to reporters, assuring them that the Congress government is "strong and stable."
"They (BJP and JDS) cannot destabilise our government. They are making some political strategy for their political gains but nothing will work," Shivakumar asserted.
#WATCH | Karnataka Deputy CM DK Shivakumar says, "They (BJP and JDS) cannot destabilise our government, they are making some political strategy for their political gains but nothing will work. Our government is strong and stable." pic.twitter.com/dxh3sCDeqS
— ANI (@ANI) July 25, 2023
According to a PTI report, Shivakumar also brought up the issue on Monday during a press briefing in Bengaluru.
He said, "We will see. We too have certain information. It is their strategy. Instead of doing it in Bengaluru, they are doing it outside."
Supporting Shivakumar's assertions, State Revenue Minister Krishna Byregowda pointed out the track record of the BJP in overthrowing various elected governments.
Most recently, for example, is the ongoing political crisis in Maharashtra where there was a split in both the Shiv Sena and Nationalist Congress Party.
Byregowda stressed the need to remain vigilant, calling the BJP's actions "anti-democratic activities."
"They have toppled many elected governments. Against this backdrop, we have to be alert. They (BJP) have no sense of good or bad. What all anti-democratic activities they have done is before us and that is what the Deputy Chief Minister would have meant. He might also have some other information," Byregowda said.
In the recent polls, which took place in May, the Indian National Congress bagged 135 seats of the 224-member Karnataka Legislative Assembly. The BJP got 66 and the JD(S) only 19, bringing their combined seats to 85. Other parties and independent candidates won the four remaining seats.
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