JD(S) will work with KCR to give voice to farmers, says H D Kumaraswamy

JD(S) legislature party leader HD Kumaraswamy said Monday that his party has decided to support Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao’s national ambitions "to give voice to farmers" while clarifying that there won’t be a ‘third front’.

Kumaraswamy was speaking to reporters after chairing the JD(S) legislature party meeting.

“It’s not a third front,” Kumaraswamy said about his 3-hour-long meeting with Rao on Sunday. “Rao has his own vision to address the country’s problems. He has a concept when it comes to farmers. To implement that with programmes giving a voice to farmers and going about it at the national level, he sought our support. As a small party, we want to join hands with him and give voice to farmers,” he said.

Also Read | 2023 Assembly election is like trial by fire for JD(S), says Kumaraswamy

Rao on Sunday said that he would launch a national party following more discussions with a cross-section of society.

Earlier this month, Kumaraswamy met Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar in New Delhi. JD(U) Karnataka president Mahima Patel was also present, making it evident that the leaders are sniffing an opportunity to stitch the erstwhile Janata Dal back together. "I wish this meeting will be the beginning for the new political era," Kumaraswamy had said.

Meanwhile, Kumaraswamy played down his son Nikhil Kumaraswamy's statement that the 2023 Assembly election will be the last one for JD(S). "What he said is something I've said myself many times," Kumaraswamy said.

"The 2023 election will be a trial by fire. The outcome of the result will determine the next 25 years of our party's politics. That's the significance of the upcoming election that Nikhil underlined. If something goes wrong, then it'll hurt the party's future. So, we must accept the next election as a challenge," he said.

Also Read | H D Kumaraswamy backs Telangana CM KCR, says his experience urgently needed on national scene

HDK promises fireworks in Assembly

Kumaraswamy said he would release documents in the ongoing Assembly session on "a big scam" involving the "auction" of public property worth thousands of crores. "The BJP government has triggered me by asking for documents on corruption. Now I'm ready with documents," he said, requesting Congress not to disrupt house proceedings. "This will be just a sample of the BJP government's corruption and the public should know about it," he added.