A Former Ally Leans Towards BJP, Snubs Opposition Unity Moves For 2024

The JDS, which won only one of Karnataka's 28 Lok Sabha seats in the 2019 election, sent feelers to the BJP weeks after the assembly election verdict.

The Janata Dal Secular (JDS), stunned by its worst-ever performance in the recent Karnataka election, is leaning towards the BJP and has sent feelers for an alliance for the 2024 national election, sources say.

The JDS, which won only one of Karnataka's 28 Lok Sabha seats in the 2019 election, sent feelers to the BJP weeks after the assembly election verdict.

The Congress won a big victory in the Karnataka polls, unseating the ruling BJP and dashing the JDS' hopes of playing kingmaker. JDS won just 19 of 224 seats and was reduced to irrelevance because of a clear public mandate.

The JDS, led by former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda and his son HD Kumaraswamy, reportedly assesses a chance to defeat the Congress and salvage its vote-base if it ties up with the BJP, its one-time ally.