Even as the Janata Dal (Secular) top brass has sealed its partnership with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), its Karnataka unit chief has vehemently opposed the tie-up, leading to the speculations of a likely split in the party.
The JD(S) state unit is headed by CM Ibrahim, a former Union minister, who has been urging party president HD Deve Gowda to call off the alliance, arguing that joining hands with the saffron party would be in violation of its principle of secularism.
“Our first decision is that the JD(S) will not go with the NDA. The second decision was a request to Deve Gowda that he should not give his consent to this alliance”, news agency PTI quoted him as saying.
Ibrahim pointed out that the JD(S) has lost leaders in neighbouring states of Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Kerala since the alliance with the BJP was announced last month.
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“In Karnataka, however, we still have affection for you (Deve Gowda). You are a father figure. We will tell him (Gowda) that we should not have any relation with the BJP,” Ibrahim reportedly said.
JD(S) second-in-command HD Kumaraswamy, while reacting to Ibrahim’s statement, said the veteran leader is “very independent” and “we will wait for his decision”.
Ibrahim, on being asked by the reporters of his next step in case Gowda and Kumaraswamy remain firm on the tie-up with the BJP, said his decision to not to go with the Centre-ruling party is final. “Already we have decided that we will not go with the BJP. What else is there more than this?”
“We are asking them (Gowda and Kumaraswamy) not to go. If they go then we cannot bind them. Regarding (JD-S) MLAs, please wait and see who, how many and where these MLAs will take a decision. We will intimate you when time comes,” PTI further quoted him as saying.
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Updated: 16 Oct 2023, 07:37 PM IST