Will BJP Tie Up With JDS In Karnataka? BS Yediyurappa, B Bommai Say...

Veteran BJP leader B S Yediyurappa on Tuesday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and the party's central leadership will decide on party joining hands with JD(S) in Karnataka, for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.

Mr Yediyurappa, who said he was going to Delhi to attend an election committee meeting of the party, said the political situation in the state would figure in the discussions at the meet.

"Delhi leaders, Amit Shah (Union Home Minister) and Prime Minister Narendra Modi will decide on it. I don't have any special information on it so far," the BJP strongman told reporters in response to a question on the BJP-JD(S) alliance.

Asked whether he was travelling to Delhi tomorrow, the former chief minister said he was going there to attend the BJP election committee meeting (as central election committee member) and will meet all the leaders there. "Will try to discuss the political situation in the state and seek their suggestions."

Asked whether he will discuss about the alliance with JD(S) during the visit, he said, "I don't know, it is left to the PM and Amit Shah, let's see how the discussion goes...whatever decision the Delhi leadership takes, we will abide by it."

Another former Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said it is an expectation that both parties, that are in opposition, should come together. "Next talks will happen at the Delhi level and after considering all the pros and cons, leaders of both parties will decide," he said.

Hitting out at the Congress for criticising the possible alliance between BJP and JD(S) by terming it as coming together of "helpless parties", Mr Bommai said, "They have formed INDIA alliance, where opponents like Mamata Banerjee (West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress chief), CPI, Congress, Arvind Kejriwal (Delhi Chief Minister and AAP chief) have come together, are they all helpless?"

In India's political history there are instances where different types of understandings have happened to face various challenges, he said, adding, "to fight this evil government in Karnataka strongly, we are joining hands."

Mr Yediyurappa, who is also a BJP parliamentary board member, last week said that his party will have an understanding with JD(S) for the Lok Sabha elections, and that the regional party will contest four LS seats in Karnataka, which has a total of 28 constituencies.

However, he subsequently said that discussions in this regard have not reached finality yet, and that PM Modi and Mr Shah, who are busy with other responsibilities, may discuss and decide on the issue in a couple of days and decide.

On his part, JD(S) leader HD Kumaraswamy said discussions on the BJP and his party contesting the Lok Sabha polls together are still in the initial phase.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)