No electoral alliance with JD(S): Piyush Goyal

Union Railway Minister Piyush Goyal, who is the BJP election incharge of Karnataka, on Thursday ruled out any sort of electoral alliance with the JD(S).

"The BJP will come to power on its own by winning 150 seats in the polls. We will not have any sort of alliance with any party, particularly the JD(S)," Goyal said, responding to queries from reporters about his recent meeting with JD(S) national president and former prime minister H D Deve Gowda in New Delhi.

Both the BJP and the Congress are trying to be on good terms with the JD(S) to keep a channel open for talks with the party in case there is a hung Assembly after the election. Most of the pre-poll surveys till date have predicted that no party will get a majority in the elections.

Goyal said Gowda had sought an appointment with him to discuss railway projects in Hassan, which he represents in the Lok Sabha.

"Gowda is a former prime minister and much elder to me. Instead of he calling on me, I said I will go and meet him. The party has taught us this culture and tradition," Goyal said.

He said reporters saw him entering Gowda's residence, triggering political speculations. "Nothing much should be read into the meeting. I will even visit former prime minister Manmohan Singh, if he wants to meet me," Goyal said.

He said the JD(S) can never come to power in the state. "Only a few leaders will remain in the party. Hundreds of JD(S) workers will join the BJP soon," Goyal said.