Overview
- Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar said there is a strong chance JD(S) will merge with the BJP soon, arguing that a two-party contest would suit Congress.
- The prediction followed a KPCC event where JD(S) leader Govindaraj, his wife Gowramma and other supporters joined Congress in Bengaluru.
- Positioning for city polls, Shivakumar reported 779 applications for Congress tickets across Bengaluru zones and urged aspirants to file early.
- He attacked JD(S) and H.D. Kumaraswamy, calling the party leader-centric and lacking ideology, and asserted he needed no lessons on administration.
- Kumaraswamy rejected the merger talk and criticized Shivakumar’s conduct, citing the deputy chief minister’s meeting with Ballari police officials.