Former Karnataka CM Kumaraswamy meets Rajnath Singh

Former Karnataka CM Kumaraswamy meets Rajnath Singh

New Delhi, Dec 22 (PTI) Former Karnataka chief minister and Janata Dal (Secular) leader H D Kumaraswamy on Friday met Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, a day after he along with his party’s president H D Deve Gowda held a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Following the meeting, Kumaraswamy thanked Singh for his assurance of the central government’s support for the state’s development.

The BJP and the JD(S) have announced an alliance in Karnataka following the victory of the Congress in the state assembly polls in May this year. They are yet to announce their respective share of 28 Lok Sabha seats for the 2024 polls.

Eyeing to retain power at the Centre for a third straight term under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, the BJP hopes to leverage the regional party’s support, especially in the Vokkaliga community, in the southern part of the state.

The BJP had won 25 seats in the 2019 polls. The JD(S) was then in an alliance with the Congress but they could win only two seats while an independent backed by the BJP bagged a seat.

On Thursday, Kumaraswamy along with his father and former prime minister H D Deve Gowda, brother H D Revanna and nephew Prajwal Revanna met Prime Minister Modi and discussed various matters, including seat-sharing between the two parties for 2024 general elections.