No discussions at state level on electoral understanding with JD(S) for LS polls: Bommai

Senior BJP leader Basavaraj Bommai on Tuesday said no discussions have taken place at the state level regarding poll understanding with the JD(S) for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections and maintained that it is difficult to predict the future in politics.

The former Karnataka Chief Minister said his party is keeping watch on the discussions in the media about uniting other parties against the ruling Congress in Karnataka. ”No discussions have happened at the state level, let’s see in the days to come, it is difficult to predict the future in politics,” Bommai told reporters here in response to a question on an understanding with JD(S).

To a question about uniting other parties to ”tie up” Congress, he said, ”such talks are taking place strongly in the press, and discussions are taking place in all channels in this regard, we are keeping a watch.” Following the Assembly poll results, there were reports in a section of the media that JD(S) would enter into an alliance with the BJP to fight the Lok Sabha polls. It was also said that JD(S) leader and former Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy during his recent visit to New Delhi had met some senior BJP leaders.

Interestingly, Kumaraswamy on Monday said a decision on an electoral understanding for the Lok Sabha polls will be taken when the situation arises, and there is no proposal before him as of now to contest the Parliamentary elections.

Kumaraswamy was responding to a question regarding speculation of a possible alliance between the BJP and JD(S) for the Lok Sabha polls and about him contesting that election.

The BJP swept the 2019 Lok Sabha polls in Karnataka by winning 25 of the total 28 seats in the State, while an independent backed by it won in one seat. The Congress and JD(S) secured one seat each.