Karnataka Assembly polls: JD(S), BJP deny CM Siddaramaiah’s pact claim

Karnataka assembly election 2018 LIVE UPDATES

On Monday, Kumaraswamy denied Siddaramaiah’s claims. “There is no question of forging an understanding with the BJP. I have not signed any agreement for the polls. If there is a video of the meeting let the chief minister release it,” he said. “I have not met anybody, then where is the question of an understanding.”

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“The chief minister is listening to reports given to him by some retired police officer…. On that day I was with Mahalakshmi Layout candidate. The chief minister is simply spreading lies, Kumaraswamy said. “We are confident of doing well in the polls and if we do not get the majority we will not align with any party.”

BJP general secretary Shobha Karandlaje said: “He (Siddaramaiah) has been spreading lies that BJP president Sri Amit Shah and JDS leader Sri H D Kumaraswamy had a discussion on April 13. It is a known fact that the BJP chief was involved in hectic electioneering at Nandagadha, Mudhol and other places that day. The BJP national president has asked Siddaramaiah to come out with the proof but he has not done it,” she said at a press conference.

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JD(S) national president and former Prime Minister H D Devegowda also came to the defence of his son Kumaraswamy, saying Siddaramaiah should be ashamed of himself for making accusations of an internal understanding between the JDS and the BJP.

“How many times is he (Siddaramaiah) going to say that Devegowda has an understanding with the BJP? I never thought the Congress would descend to such low level politics,” he said. “We will not go with the BJP. I have said in my interviews. I do not agree to my son going with the BJP either.”