Talk of electoral tie-up with BJP premature, says JD(S) leader Kumaraswamy

Janata Dal (Secular) leader HD Kumaraswamy on Monday termed as premature talks of an electoral tie-up between his party and the BJP for the Lok Sabha elections next year."NDA has not invited our party for any meeting. We will see on that front," he said.When asked about the joint Opposition meeting in Bengaluru, Kumaraswamy said," The Opposition never considered JD(S) a part of them. So, there is no question of JD(S) being a party of any Mahagathbandhan."Attacking the Congress over the meeting, he said that the grand old party is trying to project it as a great achievement while the party-ruled government in Karnataka is not bothered about suicide of farmers.Without referring to the Congress, the former Chief Minister said banners have been put up along the roads here for the meeting of the Opposition and they are trying to project the event as if they have made some great achievement that no one else has done.The Congress is under an illusion that the JD (S) is "finished," he said.In the elections to the 224-member Assembly held in May, the Congress won 135 seats, the BJP 66 and the JD(S) headed by former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda 19.Citing media reports, Kumaraswamy said 42 farmers have committed suicide in Karnataka and the Congress government in the State is not worried over this. The government has not even appealed to the farmers not to take extreme steps, he alleged.With inputs from agencies