NCP, JDU Tie-Up Likely For Karnataka Polls  

Bengaluru: NCP President Sharad Pawar today said his party had initiated talks with the JDS led by former prime minister H D Deve Gowda for a possible tie up for the coming Karnataka assembly elections.

"I had a talk with Deve Gowdaji, H D Kumaraswamy and PGR Sindhia. We have discussed it... it is possible for us to work together (in the coming election)," he told reporters after a meeting of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) workers here.

Pawar said NCP's presence in Karnataka was very limited.

"Inspite of that, we are ready for electoral battle in Karnataka with the help of JDS to keep the BJP at bay like we had done in Kerala and some other states," he said.

JDS had been sympathetic to associate with his party, he said.

"It is not just about coming together, we should come together in mainfesto and promises to be made to the people.

Thereafter, there will be deliberations on seat adjustments," the former union minister said.

Asked whether he was aiming for a grand alliance in Karnataka to keep the BJP at bay in election expected to be held in the next few months, Pawar said it was premature to talk about it.

"We want. I don't know whether we will succeed or not because we have only talked to JDS, not other parties, so far," he said.

Asked what if JDS ties up with BJP to form government post-poll, Pawar said, "I posed same question to JDS leaders.

We said our position is absolutely clear ... after the election, if different situation arises, we want a commitment that we both will not go with BJP." (PTI)

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