After rumours about a potential merger of Janata Dal (Secular) with BJP gained traction, former Karnataka Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy said on Saturday that both parties will work together and there is no question of JD(S) getting absorbed into the saffron party.
"There is no question of merging our party with any other party. Categorically, I am telling you. There is no question. If the BJP treats us well and everything goes smoothly, there is no question of JDS being absorbed into the BJP. We will work together," the JD(S)-BJP candidate told ANI.
"I would like to tell Siddaramaiah that even if 100 Siddaramaiahs come against us, they can't do anything to our party. They can't damage it," the former CM added.
Kumaraswamy slammed Congress for saying that JD(S) should write to the Election Commission and drop the word "Secular" from their party's name. "What is the meaning of secularism? I wanted to question the Congress. Every day they are misusing the caste composition; they are using the caste composition and they wanted to get benefit from it for their party," he said, lashing out at the Congress.
"According to me, there is no meaning to secularism or communalism. For example, let's talk about DMK. They joined hands with the Centre, with both the Congress and the BJP. Whatever the reason was, they took the decision in their own interest, not for secularism or communalism," he told the agency.
On January 30, Karnataka Congress President D.K. Shivakumar slammed Kumaraswamy, saying his party was headed for a merger with BJP. "Kumaraswamy may choose to wear a saffron shawl or any other shawl, that is his party's choice. BJP is trying to find a political base in Mandya and in the process I don't know who is going to swallow whom," said the Deputy Chief Minister.
Earlier on November 12, Kumaraswamy had asserted that he has no plan to merge JD(S) with BJP.
