About the Ram temple consecration, he said ,"Deve Gowda has already said that despite his illness he will take part in the ceremony."
Published Jan 18, 2024 | 3:10 PM ⚊ Updated Jan 18, 2024 | 3:10 PM
HD Kumaraswamy with Amit Shah and JP Nadda. (X)
The JD(S) state chief and former chief minister HD Kumaraswamy has asserted that the seat-sharing formula with the BJP for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections will be finalised only after the Ram temple’s consecration ceremony, which is scheduled at Ayodhya on 22 January.
On the invitation of Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP chief JP Nadda, Kumaraswamy and his son and JD(S) Youth Wing chief Nikhil Kumaraswamy met and held talks on the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections in Delhi on Wednesday, 17 January.
JD(S) is an alliance partner for the BJP in Karnataka for the forthcoming parliament elections.
Sharing the photos from the meeting on X, Kumaraswamy wrote, “Had a long, open discussion about many things, mainly, the political developments in Karnataka were discussed with senior BJP leaders and the Home Minister was informed about the drought situation in the state.”
ಕೇಂದ್ರದ ಗೃಹ ಮಂತ್ರಿಗಳಾದ ಮಾನ್ಯ ಶ್ರೀ @AmitShah ರವರು ಹಾಗೂ @BJP4India ರಾಷ್ಟ್ರೀಯ ಅಧ್ಯಕ್ಷರಾದ ಮಾನ್ಯ ಶ್ರೀ @JPNadda ಅವರೊಂದಿಗೆ ಜೆಡಿಎಸ್ – ಬಿಜೆಪಿ ಮೈತ್ರಿ, ಮುಂಬರುವ ಲೋಕಸಭೆ ಚುನಾವಣೆ ತಯಾರಿ ಸೇರಿದಂತೆ ಇನ್ನಿತರೆ ಹಲವಾರು ಮಹತ್ವದ ವಿಷಯಗಳ ಬಗ್ಗೆ ನವದೆಹಲಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ಇಂದು ಸಂಜೆ ಸುದೀರ್ಘವಾಗಿ, ಮುಕ್ತವಾಗಿ ಸಮಾಲೋಚನೆ… pic.twitter.com/NcEnJXhRXX
— ಹೆಚ್.ಡಿ.ಕುಮಾರಸ್ವಾಮಿ | H.D.Kumaraswamy (@hd_kumaraswamy) January 17, 2024
Kumaraswamy told reporters in Delhi on Thursday, 18 January: “We discussed several issues, including seat-sharing and the strengths and weaknesses of both parties at length.”
“Our ultimate goal is to win all 28 seats in Karnataka, so we are working together collaboratively. There are no differences over seat-sharing; we are confident that we will secure the seats, and it is not a significant issue.”
“Even senior BJP leaders are well-informed; they have comprehensive reports about each constituency. We anticipate resolving the seat-sharing issue without any hurdles. After the inaugural ceremony of the Ram temple, both parties will make the final decision,” added Kumaraswamy.
According to PTI, Amit Shah and Nadda told Kumaraswamy that BJP and JD(S) should take all the decisions to face the election on the basis of trust and faith.
Noting that there is a “strong anti-incumbency wave” against the Congress government in Karnataka within a year of it coming to power, Kumaraswamy said the leaders discussed ways to effectively bring the failures of the state government to the attention of the people.
Kumaraswamy said that JD(S) supremo and former prime minister HD Deve Gowda’s family will attend the consecration ceremony of Lord Ram Lalla temple in Ayodhya on 22 January.
Confirming the same, Kumaraswamy told reporters, “We are going (to Ayodhya). We have been invited. Deve Gowda has already said that despite his illness he will take part in the consecration ceremony.”
“Our family has always believed in God. We have faith in all Gods. As the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teertha Kshetra Trust has extended the invitation to our family, we will be attending the ceremony,” added Kumaraswamy.
On several parties, including the Congress, declining the invitation for the consecration ceremony, Kumaraswamy said: “I don’t want to respond to other party decisions. The trust’s organisers have invited Deve Gowda, myself and my son as well for the ceremony. On their invitation, we will be attending.”
“The consecration ceremony is resonating across the country and not confined to either Karnataka or any other state. This (consecration ceremony) is the festival of Indians,” the former chief minister refrained from answering to the Congress’ criticism over this ceremony.
The JD(S) decided to join the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in September last year after a meeting Kumaraswamy had with Amit Shah and Nadda in New Delhi.
Both parties have said they would fight the coming general elections in Karnataka together.
In the elections to the 224-member Karnataka Assembly in May last year, the JD(S) put up a poor show, winning only 19 seats. The Congress bagged 135 and the BJP 66.
In the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, BJP won a record 25 out of the 28 Parliamentary seats, where the Congress, JD(S), and an independent had won one each. The JD(S) and Congress jointly fought the 2019 Lok Sabha.
Among the South Indian states, Karnataka has the highest number of BJP parliamentarians.
Sources earlier told South First that the regional party is demanding at least four Parliamentary seats for the general elections. Other than Hassan and Mandya, the JD(S) is eyeing the Mysuru, Kolar (SC), Raichur (ST), and Vijayapura (SC) constituencies — all of them currently represented by the BJP.
JD(S) senior leader and former minister SR Mahesh told South First earlier: “The party leadership is planning to demand four Lok Sabha seats. Hassan, Mandya, Kolar, and either Mysuru or Raichur.”
“We are demanding these seats because the party has a strong base in these constituencies, and there are high chances of emerging victorious. We have held talks with BS Yediyurappa and are yet to meet the BJP high command regarding seat-sharing equations,” said Mahesh.
