2023 Assembly election is like trial by fire for JD(S), says Kumaraswamy

JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy on Monday said the 2023 Assembly election is like a "trial by fire" for his party, and its outcome will have a bearing on its political future for the next 20-25 years.

The former Chief Minister was responding to a question regarding his son and JD(S) youth wing chief Nikil Kumaraswamy's recent statement purportedly indicating that the upcoming Assembly election will be the last for the party.

"I myself have said several times that the 2023 Assembly election is like a trial by fire for the JD(S) and the outcome of this election will have a bearing on the party's political future for the next 20-25 years; so this election is important - this is what Nikhil Kumaraswamy has said," he told reporters.

Kumaraswamy said, "We both have discussed it several times that the 2023 election is a big challenge before us and if anything undesirable happens it will bear consequences on the party's future, so it should be taken as a challenge and a strong foundation should be laid for the party with new restructure for the next 25 years. His (Nikhil) statement was in that context and there was no need to attach any other meaning to it."

Addressing a gathering of party workers in Tumakuru recently, Nikhil, while speaking about his grandfather and former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda's age and not being seen much in public for last two-three months, creating confusion among party men, said, "I want to say Deve Gowda will live for hundreds of years to be with us, but this 2023 polls in a way is the last election for us, take it that way."

However, he further said, from here on a new chapter should start for the JD(S) for the next 25 years.

JD(S) has set a target of winning at least 123 of the total 224 seats that will go for polls by March-April next year, and aims to form an independent government this time.

The party had earlier formed governments in coalition with both BJP and Congress respectively for 20 months from January 2006 and for 14 months from May 2018, with Kumaraswamy as the Chief Minister.

After chairing the JD(S) legislature party meeting ahead of the monsoon session of the State legislature on Monday, Kumaraswamy said it discussed raising the issues in the session like- rain and flood-related damages in about 22 districts of the State, including Bengaluru city.

Stating that they also discussed whether to participate during discussion on 40 percentage commission (bribery) charges against the government in public works, he said that he has suggested his party legislators that there will be meaning, if they participate in such a debate with evidence; if not it will be just like a "street or market talk", leading to the waste of session's time.

Kumaraswamy said he was prepared to raise and discuss an issue in the Assembly with records and evidence regarding a scam relating to a property that would have got Rs 8,000-10,000 crore to the government.

"...it is about how the State government's property can be sold without any rationale...I will raise this issue with documentary evidence," he said, without sharing further details.