JD(S) makes U-turn on 'will not take any help from any party', joins BJP-led NDA for 2024 Lok Sabha Elections

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Janata Dal (Secular) patriarch HD Deve Gowda and his son Kumaraswamy met Union Home Minister and Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Amit Shah in Parliament on Thursday, following which JD(S) formally joined the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) on Friday. BJP President JP Nadda and Goa CM Pramod Sawant were also present during the meeting.

Notably, earlier in July this year, HD Deve Gowda has ruled out the possibility of an alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) for the 2024 Lok Sabha election. At a press conference Deve Gowda had said “JDS will never sink...We will fight for parliament elections independently and will not take any help from any party.

Let me be very clear." After meeting Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Delhi, Former Karnataka CM and JDS leader HD Kumaraswamy said, “Today formally we discussed about joining hands with the BJP. We've discussed the preliminary issues formally...There is no demand (from our side)." After the meeting, Nadda said on X, "I am happy that JD(S) has decided to be the part of National Democratic Alliance.

We wholeheartedly welcome them in the NDA. This will further strengthen NDA and vision of Hon PM Narendra Modi Ji for 'New India, Strong India'." There were talks within Karnataka’s political circles for the past few months that the JD(S) could ally with the BJP for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

The BJP, which heads the NDA, believes an alliance with the JD(S) will ensure its domination in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls as the regional party enjoys considerable influence in south Karnataka where the saffron party has traditionally been weak. The JD(S) had aligned with the Congress in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, however, the parties faced a