'Ask Kumaraswamy why he wants to join the BJP'

'This decision to go with the BJP is Kumaraswamy's individual decision and not a party decision.'

Janata Dal-Secular state president and former Union civil aviation minister Chand Mahal Ibrahim says there is no question of him quitting the party as he is the real JD-S.

He was reacting to JD-S leader and former Karnataka chief minister of H D Kumaraswamy announcing an election tie-up with the Bharatiya Janata Party.

Kumaraswamy is JD-S patriarch and former prime minister H D Deve Gowda's son.

'I appeal to Deve Gowda, who is 92, to not take a wrong step. He was made prime minister of India because of his secular credentials,' Ibrahim stated last week.

"Muslims ensured Kumaraswamy's victory, therefore Amit Shah called him for alliance. Had he lost the election, who would have called him for an alliance? Nobody would have called him," Ibrahim tells Syed Firdaus Ashraf/Rediff.com.

Why are you going against H D Kumaraswamy's decision to join hands with the BJP and be a part of National Democratic Alliance?

This decision to go with the BJP is Kumaraswamy's individual decision and not a party decision. Therefore, I am against this decision and opposing the move.

Did he speak to you or any other party leader before deciding to join hands with the BJP?

No, he did not speak to any leader and even if he has, I personally have no idea about it.

You had an alliance with the BJP earlier in Karnataka so if you are doing it again, what is the harm?

Today no leader of the JD-S wants an alliance with the BJP. We have conveyed this to Deve Gowdaji.

What did he say?

He has not spoken and we are waiting for his response on this matter.

Are you hopeful then that your alliance with the BJP won't happen?

We are surely hopeful that an alliance with the BJP will not happen in Karnataka.

Today there are two major forces gearing up for the 2024 elections. The NDA, and the INDIA alliance. Don't you feel your party won't be able to take on their might in the 2024 general election alone?

If Deve Gowdaji agrees, then we will discuss this issue otherwise we do not want to support the NDA. We may support the INDIA alliance.

Don't you feel it won't be easy for any party or alliance like INDIA to challenge Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the 2024 elections?

I have a lot of respect for Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Personally, we are not against him, but on principles we are against him.

On what principles are you against him?

We are not only against the BJP on secularism, but also the fact that Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar has given a Constitution which they are diluting.

For example, they removed the word secularism and socialism from the new book on the Constitution. Why are they doing it? What is the meaning of that?

You are against the BJP on only these two issues, secularism and socialism?

There are other issues too, like the Non Aligned Movement.

India used to spearhead all countries which used to take a neutral stance on global politics. Today what is happening to the Non Aligned Movement?

We do not take such a stance.

Besides that, we also have targeted (attacks) on Dalits, Muslims, Sikhs and Christians in India. We cannot accept these things and join hands with the BJP.

Are you hopeful things will change?

If the country has to progress things will change for sure and if not, then things will not change. It is all in Gods hand now and we are standing on our principles and doing politics.

H D Kumaraswamy has said he is not dependent on Muslim votes alone to win elections, taunting you indirectly.

Kumaraswamy got 20,000 Muslim votes (from Channapatna constituency) and he won only because of that in the Karnataka assembly elections. Had he not got Muslim votes, he would have lost the elections.

Muslims ensured Kumaraswamy's victory, therefore Amit Shah called him for alliance. Had he lost the election, who would have called him for an alliance? Nobody would have called him.

What is the political compulsion for him then? Is he scared of ED, CBI, Income Tax like so many opposition leaders who signed on with the BJP?

It is better you put this question to him as to what are his compulsions to join the BJP rather than asking me.

I am sure he must have had a word from you since you are a senior leader of your party?

No, he never spoke to me about his decision to go with the BJP. It was his personal decision.

Are you hopeful that most of the JD-S will be with you?

I hope so. Let us see what happens next.

Are you heading for a split then if Kumaraswamy insists on joining hands with the BJP?

Only time will give this answer.