JD(S) out of invitees’ list for NDA meet; pact talks with BJP continue

With alliance talks remaining inconclusive over the scope and extent of its tie-up with the BJP in Karnataka, JD(S) was left out of the list of 38 parties that were invited to participate in Tuesday’s NDA meeting in Delhi.

Sources said talks between the two parties have been going on at the highest level, but JD(S) is not willing to subsume its identity and wants to maintain its independent status.

The protracted negotiations have also delayed the appointment of the leader of the Opposition in the Assembly.

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There are reports that the BJP wants JD(S) to merge itself with the saffron party in lieu of the post of LoP or cabinet minister at the central government.

However, JD(S) supremo H D Deve Gowda has rejected the proposal and is in favour of a pre-poll alliance for the Lok Sabha elections. JD(S) wants to contest at least eight Lok Sabha seats, mostly in south Karnataka.

The Gowdas believe that merging JD(S) with BJP will wipe out the influence of the family in state politics.

Though the JD(S) won 19 seats in the May Assembly polls, it was the party’s worst performance in history. A section of the family still believes that the party will bounce back in the days to come.

Both parties are still in the discussion stage on various issues related to the next Lok Sabha elections, sources in BJP told DH.

The BJP feels that a tie-up with JD(S) will help to get maximum seats in the Lok Sabha elections as the JD(S) has a strong presence in old Mysuru region.

Though the BJP won 25 seats out of 28 in the last Lok Sabha polls in Karnataka, the party faces a daunting task in 2024, in the face of a resurgent Congress.

In case the JD(S) agrees to an alliance, the BJP is willing to offer Hassan, Mandya and Bangalore Rural seats to the regional party, but the Gowda family is reported to be seeking at least five more seats, including Kolar, Chickballapur, Tumkur, Chamarajanagar and Bangalore North, all of which were won by BJP in 2019, sources said. However, former chief minister H D Kumaraswamy maintains he is not angling for any post.

“There are efficient leaders in the BJP. I appeal to the BJP high command to opt for any of them, including former chief minister Basavaraj Bommai for the post of LoP at the earliest,” he said.