Cong-JD(S) have struck a deal in Hyderabad: CM Bommai

Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Wednesday said the Congress and the JD(S) had struck a deal for the Assembly elections to be held in the State. The agreement was done in Hyderabad, he said, a charge rejected outright by JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy. The Chief Miniser’s comments came in the background of the Election Commission today announcing that the polls to the 224-member Karnataka Assembly would be held on May 10.

Speaking to reporters, Bommai claimed that the Congress was pleading to the BJP MLAs to come and join the party.

Responding to a query on the Congress’s charge that there was an understanding between the BJP and the JD(S), the Chief Minister said, ”There is nothing of that sort. In fact, there was a meeting in Hyderabad between the Congress leaders and the JD(S), according to my information. A deal has been stuck there between them.” Bommai said the process of releasing BJP candidates’ list for the Assembly polls will start after a week.

Kumaraswamy took objection to Bommai’s statement. “I demand that the Chief Minister disclose the name of the leaders who met in Hyderabad and the place where the meeting took place,” he said.

The JD(S) leader said he found the CM’s allegations too trivial to react to. He added that both the Congress and the BJP called the JD(S) a B team of each other. The two national parties had nothing else to speak about the JD(S), he added.

“We decided to contest all 224 Assembly segments. We did not align with anybody. We are confident that we will form the government on our own. There is no question of joining hands with any party,” Kumaraswamy said.