JD-S leader Danish Ali joined Mayawati’s BSP after seeking my ‘consent’: HD Kumaraswamy

In a major development ahead of Lok Sabha elections 2019, Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S) general secretary Danish Ali, who until recently was involved in alliance negotiations with the Congress and the JD-S in Karnataka, on Saturday joined the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP). Karnataka chief minister and senior JD(S) leader HD Kumaraswamy said Ali joined Mayawati’s party after his and his father HD Deve Gowda’s consent.

“Danish Ali, the JDS General Secretary, has joined BSP in consent with me and our national president Sri HD Devegowda in a purely political arrangement between the two parties. It is a thoughtful political decision taken by #JDS and BSP to win more seats in the Lok Sabha elections,” Kumaraswamy tweeted on Saturday evening.

Danish Ali, the JDS General Secretary, has joined BSP in consent with me and our national president Sri HD Devegowda in a purely political arrangement between the two parties. It is a thoughtful political decision taken by #JDS and BSP to win more seats in the Loksabha elections.

— H D Kumaraswamy (@hd_kumaraswamy) March 16, 2019

“My ideology matches with Mayawati’s ideology. We both strive to uplift the poor and weaker sections of the society. I now want to invest my energy for making the lives of the poor better,” Ali was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.

Speaking to media after joining the BSP, Ali said he took the permission of former prime minister and JD-S leader Deve Gowda and will do whatever work is assigned to him by Mayawati.

“I never asked for anything even when I was in JD(S), it was upto HD Deve Gowda ji to decide what work to assign me. I have come here after taking the blessings & permission of Deve Gowda ji. I will work wherever Behen ji assigns me,” news agency ANI quoted Ali as saying.

Ali, who was born in Uttar Pradesh, said that despite all his efforts, he could not help the JD-S grow in his home state. Given the threat to the Constitution, he said, it became essential to use his energy with a strong leadership.

“JD(S) doesn't have a large orga structure in UP. Despite all my efforts I could not have raised it in my 'janmabhoomi, my 'karmabhoomi'....The way in which there is a threat to constitution today, it has become essential to use our energy with a strong leadership,” he said.

Danish Ali was a close associate of Kumaraswamy and he had played the crucial role in Congress-JD(S) alliance in Karnataka. He was also involved in the seat sharing negotiations between the parties for the Lok Sabha elections.

Ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S) leader Danish Ali joined the Mayawati-led Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) on Saturday. Ali joined the party in the presence of the party’s national general secretary Satish Mishra at the BSP office in Lucknow.