Targeting the Janata Dal (Secular) for the first time during his recent visits to the State, AICC president Rahul Gandhi has called it a ‘B team’ of the Bharatiya Janata Party. “The party claims to be secular, but supports the BJP,” he said at a rally at Hassan, the home district of JD(S) national president H.D. Deve Gowda, on Wednesday.
“Leaders of the JD(S) think that people would not understand their role as the B team of the BJP. No matter how many B, C or D teams of the BJP and RSS come together, the Congress will definitely come back to power,” Mr. Gandhi said.
Endorsing Mr. Gandhi’s allegation against the JD(S), Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said, “The JD(S) is working hard to keep the Congress out of power. Their plan is to come to power with the BJP ... People should be careful while voting this time. The Congress is the only secular party. If you vote for the JD(S), it may end up benefiting the BJP.”
In the past, Mr. Siddaramaiah said, Mr. Gowda had joined hands with the BJP only to ensure his son H.D. Kumaraswamy becomes the Chief Minister. “Everybody knows the JD(S) would not come to power on its own. Even Mr. Gowda knows it very well,” he said.
