In a jolt to the party high command, the Kerala unit of the Janata Dal (Secular) on Saturday (October 7) objected to the decision to join the NDA and said that it will be with the Left front in the state.

JDS Kerala president Mathew T Thomas said that the party high command made the announcement without holding discussion with the Kerala unit.

The party has a four decade-long association with the CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front and it will continue, he said.

Last month, HD Deve Gowda-led JDS joined the NDA and announced an alliance with the BJP for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.

“The national leadership made the announcement without discussion in any party forum. The declaration to join hands with the BJP was against the organisational policy. The Kerala unit of JD(S) is not in favour of it,” Thomas told the media, rejecting the announcement made by its national president.

The leader’s reaction came day after Congress slammed the ruling CPIM in Kerala for retaining JDS as its ally even after the party’s national leadership announced ties with the BJP.

The opposition Congress had accused the CPI(M) of providing “political protection” to JD(S).

JDS joins NDA

Former Karnataka CM and JDS leader HD Kumaraswamy met Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Delhi and formally joined the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) last month. BJP President JP Nadda and Goa CM Pramod Sawant were also present during the meeting.

Making an announcement about the collision, JP Nadda on X said, “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 for “New India, Strong India”.

Clarifying that there is no demand from their side, Kumaraswamy said, “Today formally we discussed about joining hands with the BJP. We’ve discussed the preliminary issues formally…There is no demand (from our side).”

(With PTI inputs)

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