Bengaluru, Sep 20 : JDS leader HD Kumaraswamy on Wednesday said he is visiting New Delhi tomorrow to discuss the possible pre-poll alliance between his party and BJP for 2024 Lok Sabha elections in the state.
“I am visiting Delhi tomorrow, and meeting BJP’s central leadership. There is a need for a strong opposition in view of the Congress party coming to power in big numbers. Discussions will revolve around these subjects,” he told reporters in Kannada here.
Kumaraswamy however dismissed reports on seat-sharing between the two parties, and him contesting Lok Sabha election from the state.
Responding to a query, the former CM said his party will not compromise on its secular stand as the issue of alliance is altogether a different subject.
“Why should we be questioned for forging an alliance with BJP when the Congress had allied with those parties that were with the saffron party at least once,” he said.
Out of the 28 Lok Sabha seats in Karnataka, BJP had registered a resounding victory by winning 25 of them, while BJP-backed Independent, Congress and JDS won a seat each.
However, the Congress registered a huge victory by winning 135 seats compared to BJP winning 66 and JDS 19, in the 224-member state assembly.
Post-assembly results, reports suggested a possible alliance between BJP and JDS to fight Lok Sabha elections in Karnataka. However, JDS patriarch HD Deve Gowda did not give any indications in this regard.
The issue again came for discussion after former CM BS Yediyurappa spoke about it in public.
