JD(S) will grow beyond old Mysuru and get majority in Karnataka polls: H D Kumaraswamy
Bengaluru(PTI): Ruling out the possibility of a hung verdict, JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy on Saturday exuded confidence that his party will grow beyond its traditional old Mysuru region in the upcoming assembly polls and form a government on its own strength in Karnataka.
The former Chief Minister also claimed that there is a strong undercurrent in his favour, especially in rural areas, and people are saying "this time it is Kumaranna" (as Kumaraswamy is popularly known among his supporters).
He said his party has already announced a list of 93 candidates for the assembly polls, which is likely by May, and will announce the second list of 50-60 candidates in about 10 days.
"In my opinion there will be a government with a clear majority this time, I have belief in it, I'm saying this as I'm able to gauge the pulse of the people. All these days it was said that JD(S) was limited to certain constituencies of the old Mysuru region. Today, growing beyond those boundaries, I'm confident about reaching the target we have set," Kumaraswamy said.
Interacting with the media at Bengaluru Press Club, he said, there is no question of a hung mandate, and that he and his party are making all out efforts to meet the 123-seat target (in 224 member assembly) and will achieve it.
"There is a feeling among people against national parties and they want to give a chance to a regional party. Even if Modi and Shah visit a hundred times, it is difficult for BJP in Karnataka, as their government has performed that bad in the state," he said, adding that BJP seeks votes in the name of PM Modi, Congress cites Bharat Jodo Yatra, while JD(S) is the only party asking for a mandate for its programmes.
Ruling out any alliance with any party as of now, Kumaraswamy said in the days to come if any like-minded smaller parties come forward, his party was open to consider it.
JD(S) is the team of 6.5 crore people of the state, he said as he hit out at Congress and BJP for calling his party as "B team" of each other, and asked "whose team are they?"
"This time despite all their (BJP and Congress) misinformation campaign, people have decided and will not take them into account. There is an undercurrent in villages- this time it is Kumaranna," he added.
Kumaraswamy also highlighted JD(S)' "Pancharatna Ratha Yatre", a statewide tour that he is undertaking ahead of polls.
This Yatre is to inform people about a five-fold programme called 'Pancharatna' that the JD(S) plans to implement on coming to power, which includes quality education, farmer welfare and employment.
Noting that to meet JD(S)' 123 seats target, he was working 18 hours a day and sleeping for just 3 hours, the party leader said, "45 constituencies I have covered travelling 140 km a day, covering villages, and by March 20 will be covering 116 constituencies."
"Including North Karnataka, we have reached the people. I have no doubts. We are strong in Raichur, Vijayapura, Kalaburagi and Bidar districts," he said, adding that he was not going to district or taluk headquarters like other party leaders, but was going to villages.
Claiming that he is not perturbed by BJP's focus on the old Mysuru region, Kumaraswamy asserted that JD(S) will win all seven seats in Mandya district.
Conceding that certain legislators and leaders are planning to desert the party in the days to come, he said, that's the reason he has not announced tickets to all constituencies including in Hassan district.
"I'm aware that they have decided, feeling that our party is weak. Let them choose their path."
Responding to a query, Kumaraswamy said the BJP and Congress may try to poach his MLAs and leaders, but our party is not worried about someone going out, as JD(S) is a factory that creates leaders.
"Have not discussed with anyone to join our party, I want to give opportunity to fresh faces. Have already announced the first list of 93, in 8-10 days will announce a second list of 50-60 candidates," he said, as he also expressed confidence about winning 6-8 seats in Bengaluru city
Accusing certain political leaders of trying to 'misuse' religious leaders and heads of maths on the reservation issue, Kumaraswamy said the government should do it in accordance with the Constitution and law.
"The government should not take decisions for the sake of political gains, it should be done based on population and backwardness. Call everyone and make understand what can be implemented within the ambit of constitution and law, and take a decision based on data and numbers," he suggested.
Targetting the BJP government on 'Santro Ravi' issue, alleging his close connection with those in the administration and the ruling party, Kumaraswamy said, "he was in Pune, who made him to move to Gujarat, what was he promised, what happened there?"
"Why was the Home Minister (Araga Jnanendra) coincidentally in Gujarat at the same time? The Home Minister should be asked, the government should answer...I have certain doubts so I'm saying, I don't have proof, but some information has leaked and I have got to know," he said.
K S Manjunath alias 'Santro' Ravi', who is accused of being the kingpin in human-trafficking and having links with politicians and meddling with police transfers, was arrested in Ahmedabad on Friday.
"This is such a bad government that there was no such government in the past and it will not come in the future too," Kumaraswamy added.
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Islamabad talks: JD Vance leads US delegation in historic face-to-face negotiations with Iran
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Islamabad (PTI): A US delegation led by Vice President JD Vance held historic face-to-face talks with top Iranian negotiators in Pakistan on Saturday to reach a peace agreement to end the war in West Asia that has paralysed global energy markets and disrupted trade.
The Pakistan-brokered talks -- the first direct, high-level engagement between the two sides since the 1979 Islamic Revolution-- are being watched globally amid increasing expectations of a breakthrough.
Ahead of the trilateral negotiations in Islamabad's Serena hotel, the Vance-led US team and the Iranian delegation headed by Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf held separate meetings with Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
"After Pakistan PM Sharif held separate meetings with both the delegations, formal round of direct negotiations between Iran and the United States has officially begun," a senior Pakistani official told PTI.
Pakistan’s state-run PTV said Iranian and US officials sat across the table for "landmark peace negotiations." The format of the talks was not very clear.
As the negotiations continued, the Iranian government said on social media that "talks between Iran and the US in Islamabad entered the expert-level stage as economic, military, legal, and nuclear committees joined in".
Without elaborating, it added that certain"technical details” are being finalised.
Sources in the Pakistani establishment said that the overall atmosphere in talks was "encouraging".
There were reports that talks may continue on Sunday if no breakthrough was achieved tonight.
Iran's semi-official Tasnim news agency reported that the negotiations have moved beyond general issues and entered technical-level discussions on "certain topics".
While Vance is accompanied by Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, President Donald Trump’s son-in-law, the Ghalibaf-led Iranian delegation comprised Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, Supreme National Defence Council Secretary Ali Akbar Ahmadian and Central Bank Governor Abdolnaser Hemmati.
The two sides travelled to Islamabad on Saturday for the talks, four days after Iran and the US announced a two-week ceasefire. However, a massive wave of Israeli strikes on Lebanon, killing more than 300 people, has left the truce in tatters.
While Tehran claimed the assault violated the terms of the ceasefire understanding, the US and Israel said Lebanon was not part of the deal.
Earlier, both delegations were received at the Nur Khan airbase by Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir and Minister for Interior, Syed Mohsin Raza Naqvi.
In his meeting with the Iranian delegation, Prime Minister Sharif affirmed Pakistan's sincere resolve to continue playing its role as a mediator towards achieving meaningful results from the peace talks.
Sharif, during his meeting with the American delegation, expressed hope that the talks between the US and Iran would lead to durable peace in West Asia.
In a related development, Mohammad Reza Aref, Iran's first vice president, said the peace talks could produce a deal if the American side worked in the interest of the US in sync with President Donald Trump's America First approach.
"However, if we face representatives of 'Israel First', there will be no deal," he said on social media.
Aref cautioned that the world will face "greater costs" if there was no peace deal.
Tasnim news agency earlier reported that negotiations between Iran and the US will not begin until Tehran's "preconditions," including stopping Israeli hostilities against Lebanon and de-freezing of Iranian assets are met.
Quoting an "informed source", it later claimed that the American side has agreed to release Iran's frozen assets. However, there is no confirmation yet on the report.
The US delegation also comprised Andrew Baker, the Deputy National Security Advisor to the President and Michael Vance, Special Advisor to the Vice President for Asian Affairs.
A full suite of US experts on relevant subject areas are present in Islamabad, according to US officials.
Earlier, Parliament Speaker Ghalibaf shared a photo from inside the aeroplane while en route to Pakistan. In the photograph, he is seen standing in front of images of the Minab School students killed in strikes, which were placed on the aeroplane seats.
"My companions on this flight — Minab 168," Ghalibaf posted on social media with the photograph.
US President Donald Trump has already cautioned that the US will resume its military action against Iran if the talks do not produce a peace deal.
Before departing for Pakistan, Vance said he was looking forward to the negotiations and hoped they would be "positive".
"As the US president said, if the Iranians are willing to negotiate in good faith, we’re certainly willing to extend an open hand. If they're going to try to play us, they're going to find that the negotiating team is not that receptive," Vance said before boarding his plane for Islamabad.
After his arrival in Islamabad early Saturday, Ghalibaf told reporters about the issue of trust with the US, reminding them of Iran's past experience with that country.
"Twice within less than a year, in the middle of negotiations, and despite the Iranian side’s good faith, they attacked us," he said, adding: "We have goodwill, but we do not have trust (in Americans)."
He said if the American side is ready for a "genuine agreement," then it would see Tehran's readiness for it.
Iran has laid out a 10-point plan for the talks that included demands for the withdrawal of US forces from West Asia, the lifting of sanctions against Iran, and allowing it to control the Strait of Hormuz.
Pakistan led the diplomatic push to bring the two sides to the table, which became possible after an appeal by Prime Minister Sharif earlier this week, leading to a pause in the fighting.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Araghchi, who held a telephone call with the country's ambassador to Lebanon Mohammad Reza Shibani, earlier asserted that the US must live up to its ceasefire commitments, which he said included ensuring the truce covers Lebanon.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said that the Israeli attacks on Lebanon "blatantly violated" the initial ceasefire and would render negotiations meaningless.
A thick security blanket covered Islamabad, which was on ‘red alert’ ahead of the talks.
More than 10,000 police and security personnel have been deployed to ensure multi-layered security for the visiting delegates, officials said.
The Red Zone, housing key buildings, is protected by the army and the Rangers, and only authorised officials and residents are allowed to go through it.
The Iran-US negotiations are being closely watched globally, as their success or failure could have far-reaching implications for West Asia's security, global energy markets, and international diplomacy.
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