JD(S) supremo H D Deve Gowda with H D Kumaraswamy.
Credit: DH File Photo
Bengaluru: The JD(S) will not join hands with its alliance partner BJP in the latter’s fight against 4 per cent reservation for Muslims in the government tenders.
The issue was discussed in the regional party’s meeting in Bengaluru on Saturday. The JD(S) leaders have advised its legislators not to join the protest and also informed the floor leader at Legislative Assembly Suresh Babu to make this stand clear when asked by the media.
The sources from the JD(S) confirmed this to DH and said, “We will not compromise on the party’s ideology and principles. We will support the BJP in the fight against price hike, guarantees not reaching people, maladministration, corruption etc. But, JD(S) supremo H D Deve Gowda had provided 4 per cent reservation for Muslims. Therefore, we cannot support the BJP in this fight.”
Leader of the Opposition R Ashoka said the BJP would talk to the JD(S). “They should protest,” Ashoka said, when asked about the regional party’s stand.
Meanwhile, BJP state president B Y Vijayendra on Saturday said that BJP will launch a statewide public awareness to educate Hindus about the injustice meted out to them by the Congress.
“Muslim reservation is against the Constitution. We will take this fight against the Congress to a logical end. We will discuss with the party leaders and plan the agitation soon,” he said.
Reacting to suspension of 18 BJP MLAs from the Assembly for six months, Ashoka said a party delegation will meet the Speaker seeking withdrawal of the suspension.
“Are our MLAs terrorists? During the debate on some issues, instead of coming to our rescue, the Speaker suspended our lawmakers. We will meet the Speaker and urge him to withdraw the suspension,” said Ashoka.