The Janata Dal (Secular) rejected an offer from Nitish Kumar to merge with his Janata Dal (United) and join the opposition bloc in India, according to party patriarch HD Deve Gowda. This comes two weeks after the Karnataka outfit allied with the BJP for next year’s general election. Deve Gowda stated that he was approached four months ago with a proposal to form a “Janata Freedom Front” with other ex-Janata Dal parties. However, he refused the offer, citing his disinterest in national posts and his age of 91. Nitish Kumar’s JDU and the Congress are both part of the opposition bloc, along with other ex-Janata Dal parties. The outreach from JDS was likely part of Nitish Kumar’s efforts in bringing together non-BJP leaders ahead of the 2024 election. Despite tensions with the Congress, Deve Gowda stressed that his party remains secular and committed to protecting all minority groups.
