HD Deve Gowda says all parties that attended Kumaraswamy swearing-in may not contest together in 2019 poll
Presenting a united front, top leaders of the Congress, TMC, BSP, AAP, CPI (M) and TDP had attended the ceremony last month in Bengaluru.
Published: 28th June 2018 04:37 PM | Last Updated: 29th June 2018 01:13 AM | A+A A-
(From left) Sharad Pawar, Sonia Gandhi, Mayawati, Ajit Singh, Rahul Gandhi, Sitaram Yechury, HD Kumaraswamy, Tejashwi Yadav and Akhilesh Yadav at the swearing-in ceremony of the Congress-JD(S) government in Bengaluru. | PTI File Photo
NEW DELHI: While supporting formation of a united front by the opposition to take on the BJP in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, JD(S) chief H D Deve Gowda Thursday said that it does not mean that they will contest together in all states.
The swearing-in ceremony of Kumaraswamy as Karnataka CM last month saw show of strength of the opposition with the Congress, TMC, CPI (M), TDP, BSP and AAP attending the event. "It is not necessary that the parties will fight together in all states," Gowda told reporters. He added that the opposition should work out an alliance at the earliest as there are enough signals to the party cadres in state for early Lok Sabha elections.
On problems between Congress and JD(S) in Karnataka and comments by former CM Siddaramaiah that the state government will survive for a year, Gowda said: "It is his feeling". The former prime minister said that seat sharing between Congress-JD(S) for Lok Sabha is yet to be decided and a final decision will be taken by Congress president Rahul Gandhi and Kumaraswamy. "We are willing to give on seat to BSP in Karnataka and in return will ask for one seat in Uttar Pradesh to Danish Ali (party secretary general). LDF will give one seat to us in Kerala," he said.
Gowda said that in coming months leaders of the Opposition are expected to meet to discuss regional alliances to defeat BJP in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.
