Attacking the Congress over the presence of Janata Dal (United) leader and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar at the Opposition meet, Janata Dal (Secular) leader and former Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy on Monday said that the Congress followed “dual policy” with regard to political alliances.
The JD(S) leader said he had not been invited either for the NDA meet on Tuesday in New Delhi or the Opposition meet on the same day in Bengaluru.
There has been intense speculation of a possible alliance between the JD(S) and BJP ahead of Lok Sabha elections next year.
Who is ‘B’ team?
“If we are the ‘B’ team of the BJP, which team does Mr. Kumar belong to? He had shared power being in the NDA at the Centre and also formed the government in Bihar. Now, he is part of the government with the Congress and RJD. The Congress that is doing secular politics through ghatbandhan should say something on this,” he told reporters here.
“I formed government with the BJP only once and that too to protect my party,” he said.
Questioning the timing and venue of the meeting, he said: “The mahagatbandhan meeting is being held in a five-star hotel when the State is reporting serial farmer suicides.” He claimed that in the last two months 42 farmers committed suicide in Karnataka.
Earlier in the day, asked whether the Congress invited the JD (S) for the meeting, the Congress said that there was no need for extending an invitation to the regional party specially.
AICC general secretary (organisation) K.C. Venugopal said: “Generally they (JD-S leaders) used to come with us. There is no need for an invitation at all.”
‘No place for Trishanku’
Congress general secretary (communication) Jairam Ramesh, MP, said: “There is no place in Indian politics now for Trishanku,” invoking the legend of the mythical king who was stuck midway between heaven and earth.
