Home Minister Ramalinga Reddy on Tuesday met JD(S) president H D Deve Gowda at his Padmanabhanagar residence and sought his party's support in the election.
The JD(S) is playing its card close to its chest on continuing the alliance with the Congress in the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) ahead of the mayoral elections.
Home Minister Ramalinga Reddy on Tuesday met JD(S) president H D Deve Gowda at his Padmanabhanagar residence and sought his party’s support in the election.
But Gowda asked Reddy to meet JD(S) state president H D Kumaraswamy in this regard.
Gowda told reporters that Kumaraswamy would take the final call on the matter. “I have told Reddy to speak to Kumaraswamy. The JD(S) will arrive at a final decision only after Kumaraswamy holds consultations with the party Bengaluru from and corporators,” he added.
Reddy expressed hope that the JD(S) will continue the alliance. “I met Gowda for the first time after I assumed charge as the Home minister -- I took his blessings. For the last two years, the JD(S) has supported the Congress in the BBMP. This time too the Congress is hoping that the JD(S) will support us. Like the Congress, the JD(S) too upholds secular values. We (the Congress) are certain that the JD(S) will not go with the BJP,” he said.
Kumaraswamy, however, said he was not aware of what transpired between his father and Reddy. “The JD(S) corporators are demanding that one of our members should be made the mayor this time. We will take an appropriate decision soon,” he added.
The mayoral election is scheduled to be held on September 28.
DH News Service