Bengaluru: The BJP and JD(S) in Karnataka have announced their decision to jointly fight against the Congress. The announcement was made by JD(S) leader Kumaraswamy at a joint press conference held with former BJP Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai at the Vidhana Soudha.
Kumaraswamy stated that both parties have agreed to work together both inside and outside the Assembly. The final decision in this regard will be taken by his father, former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda, who has been authorized to make the call. Kumaraswamy clarified that decisions regarding the 2024 Lok Sabha elections will be made when the appropriate time comes.
Recently, Bommai and Kumaraswamy had protested against the deputation of IAS officers to welcome guests at a private political meeting. During the press conference, they also called on the Congress government to take over the Bangalore-Mysore Infrastructure Corridor (BMIC) project, which is being promoted by the Nandi Infrastructure Corridor Enterprise (NICE).
The leaders described the NICE project as a “big scandal” and accused it of committing fraud against the people of the state. They demanded that the government fully take over the project, claiming that it involved daylight robbery. Kumaraswamy also urged the government to utilize the funds saved from scrapping the project to implement welfare schemes.
Responding to the joint press conference and the allegations against him, Congress leader Shivakumar said that the entire project was signed by Deve Gowda during his tenure as Chief Minister. He stated that if there were any scams, they should have been probed when the JD(S) and BJP were in power in the state. He emphasized that the Congress would not engage in vindictive politics and that appropriate actions would be taken if any violations of the law were found.
The alliance between the BJP and JD(S) is likely to impact the political landscape in Karnataka and may have implications in future elections.