Uniting secular parties: Congress has no credibility, says H D Kumaraswamy
Chamarajanagara/Hassan, Apr 20: Amid calls for unity among secular parties against the ruling BJP, JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy said the Congress has lost its credibility, as it has lost ground across the country, and will lose in Karnataka too during the 2023 Assembly polls here.
The former Chief Minister asserted that his party would contest independently in the Assembly and has set a target of winning at least 123 seats in the 225-member Assembly.
"....they (Congress) are saying that all secular forces should unite and send out a message, who will listen to Congress's stand. Congress has lost across the country, they are slightly breathing here (Karnataka). In 2023, they will lose here too completely," Kumaraswamy said.
Speaking to reporters, he questioned how the Congress party, which has been rejected by people across the country, could fight communalism.
Reiterating that JD(S) would not have alliance with any party during the 2023 poll, Kumaraswamy said the party is on a mission to win 123 seats and is seeking the support of the people to form the government independently.
He hit out at the Congress party and its leader Siddaramaiah for repeatedly calling JD(S) the "B-team" of the BJP.
"...look at yourself (Congress), you are in a coma stage. You could not make your stand clear on the 'hijab' issue. I know your hidden agenda, which is soft Hindutva," he added.
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Sena (UBT)-MNS alliance announcement for civic polls likely next week
Mumbai (PTI): The Shiv Sena (UBT) and the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) are likely to announce next week their alliance for the upcoming municipal corporation elections in Maharashtra, with seat-sharing for all the civic bodies, except Mumbai, almost complete, leaders of both the parties said.
Elections to 29 municipal corporations in Maharashtra, including the all-important Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), will be held on January 15, and the counting of votes will take place the next day.
The Shiv Sena (UBT) and the MNS will forge an alliance for the polls in municipal corporations of Mumbai, Thane, Mira-Bhayandar, Kalyan-Dombivli, Pimpri-Chinchwad, Pune and Nashik, among others.
The Sena (UBT) is headed by former chief minister Uddhav Thackeray, while his once-estranged cousin Raj is the president of the MNS.
"Talks for all civic bodies, except Mumbai, are complete. The sticking point is about the seats that we are demanding in Marathi-dominated areas. The Shiv Sena (UBT) is not still not agreeing to it which has delayed the seat-sharing. But the talks have to be over soon since the date of filing nominations starts next week (December 23 to December 30)," an MNS leader said.
Talking to reporters, MNS leader and former MLA Nitin Sardesai said, "It is appropriate to say that the talks are in final stages but it is difficult to say when it will be officially announced. I can only say that all sides are putting efforts to complete the talks and they are working towards it."
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Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Anil Parab met Raj Thackeray to discuss seat-sharing.
A Sena (UBT) leader said talks are in final stages and there is no hurdle in the seat-sharing agreement.
"The two brothers are expected to officially announce the alliance between the two parties on Monday in a public event or through a press conference that will set the tone for the civic body polls," he said.
Raj Thackeray quit the undivided Shiv Sena blaming Uddhav for his exit in 2005 and floated the MNS in 2006. They had been political rivals since then.
However, after the drubbing of their parties in the Maharashtra assembly polls in 2024 - the Sena (UBT) won 20 seats, while MNS drew a blank - both leaders decided to put behind their political acrimony and find a common ground for survival.
Over the past few months, the two cousins shared the stage or were spotted at public forums together multiple times for various reasons.
The cousins publicly ended their two-decade-long estrangement in July, where they addressed a joint rally. At the event, Uddhav said they have come together to stay together.
