BSY plans grand alliance; no pact with BJP, says HDK

 Former chief minister B S Yeddyurappa on Wednesday said he would brave all odds to put together a grand alliance of parties to take on the Congress in the Lok Sabha polls.

“Nothing is impossible in politics. There may be hurdles, but I will face the odds. There is nothing wrong in giving it a try,” Yeddyurappa said during an informal chat with reporters in the lounge of the Legislative Assembly on Wednesday.

Yeddyurappa said he would talk to BJP, JD(S) and BSR Congress to put together the alliance. There is still a long way to go, he said. Claiming that KJP would be the ideal platform to put together the alliance, Yeddyurappa said, “It will be a neutral ground. I can speak to all parties being in the KJP.”  However, he ruled out merging his party with the BJP.

Meanwhile, JD(S) State President H D Kumaraswamy has ruled out entering into pre-poll alliance with the BJP for the Lok Sabha polls.

“Deve Gowda (JD-S national president) will not allow the party to join hands with the BJP,” Kumaraswamy said, reacting to Yeddyrappa’s proposal. Besides, the party units in Shimoga and several North Karnataka districts were against any tie-up with the BJP, he said.

Earlier, speaking in the Legislative Assembly, Yeddyurappa said if the alliance of Opposition parties materialises it would bag at least 22 of the 28 Lok Sabha seats in Karnataka and that would be the end of Siddaramaiah’s tenure as chief minister.

“The Congress high command will not allow you to continue if there is a dismal performance by your party in the polls”, Yeddyurappa told Siddaramaiah.

Siddaramaiah countered Yeddyurappa by stating that the latter’s “dream will never materialise”