New Delhi:

After the Janata Dal (Secular) joined the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), the Congress on Friday said the “B-team of the BJP” in Karnataka has officially become part of the coalition.

Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said their assertion made during the recent Karnataka assembly poll campaign in this regard has been vindicated today.

“What the Congress had repeatedly said throughout the Karnataka election campaign has been officially vindicated today. The B-team of the BJP in the state – JD(S) – has officially become part of the NDA, that too a day following the most nakedly communal attack by a BJP MP on a former senior JD(S) leader in the Lok Sabha,” Mr Ramesh said on X.

Mr Ramesh was referring to BJP MP Ramesh Bidhuri’s objectionable remarks against Danish Ali, who is now in the Bahujan Samaj Party.

In a boost to the BJP in Karnataka ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, the JD(S) decided to ally with the party following a meeting of its leader HD Kumaraswamy with Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP president JP Nadda.

After the meeting, Mr Nadda said on X, “I am happy that JD(S) has decided to be the part of National Democratic Alliance. We wholeheartedly welcome them in the NDA. This will further strengthen NDA and vision of Hon PM Narendra Modi Ji for ‘New India, Strong India’.” 

Headed by former prime minister H D Deve Gowda, the JD(S) has long been a strong third player in the southern state where the Congress and the BJP have been the two main parties. The regional party came third in the recent assembly polls in the state, where the Congress scored a big win. 

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