BENGALURU: Senior JDS leader HD Kumaraswamy held a detailed discussion with Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on the prevailing political scenario in the country at former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda’s residence in New Delhi on Monday evening.
“People wish that the Janata Parivar, which took shape following Jayaprakash Narayan’s movement and later broke into factions, get united again in the interest of the country. That was why I initiated this move,” Kumaraswamy said after the meeting.
JDS state president CM Ibrahim, who too was present at the meeting, said the interaction was crucial following the recent political developments in Bihar. “It’s good for the country’s politics and democracy,” he added.
He said Nitish praised Kumaraswamy’s style of functioning and delivering goods to the people and farmers when he was the chief minister. “Nitish was also impressed with the Janatha Jaladhare programme that has been launched by JDS in the runup to the 2023 Assembly polls,” he added.
As JDU Karnataka president Mahima Patel too was present, there was speculation that JDS and JDU could share some seats in the 2023 Assembly polls. As JDS is focusing on only 123 of the 224 Assembly seats, it could extend support to JDU in some constituencies of North Karnataka, sources said.
For Nitish, who is said to be nursing the ambition of becoming Prime Minister, meeting anti-BJP forces including the regional parties especially down South is crucial, political pundits said. Kumaraswamy’s meeting with Nitish may also help JDS scrub the allegations of the party being dubbed the B team of BJP and safeguard its credential as a secular party.
With Deve Gowda not keeping well for sometime due to age-related ailments, the meeting also gave an indication of Kumaraswamy stepping into the shoes of his father in attending to political affairs at the national level.