'Wish CPI(M) chose words better': JDS chief HD Deve Gowda after Pinarayi Vijayan rap over BJP alliance

Janata Dal (Secular) chief HD Deve Gowda sought to put to rest the controversy triggered by his remark that CPI(M) leader and Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan had "given full concurrence" to his party over its alliance with the BJP. Hours after Vijayan denied having supported the alliance in a strongly worded rejoinder on Friday, the former prime minister issued a clarification to clear "some confusion", saying his communist allies didn't understand the context of his remark.

"There is some confusion about my statement on the CPI(M). My Communist friends do not seem to have followed what I said nor the context in which I said," Gowda said on the social media platform X.

He said he wished his CPI(M) leaders had chosen their words better or sought clarification.

"I only said my party unit in Kerala is getting along with the LDF government as things within my party units outside Karnataka remain unresolved after our alliance with the BJP. I wish CPI(M) leaders had chosen their words better or had sought clarification," the JD(S) patriarch added.

Also read: Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan slams ex-PM Devegowda, denies supporting JDS-BJP alliance

On Friday, while announcing removal of CM Ibrahim as the Karnataka chief of JD(S) for starting a rebellion over the BJP-JD(S) alliance, Deve Gowda talked about Vijayan's “concurrence”. The two parties are allies in the state.

"Kerala's Left government's chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan has given full concurrence to move forward in Karnataka with the BJP to save the party. This is the position," he had said, per a PTI report.

Within hours, Vijayan denied the claim, saying it was baseless and devoid of truth. Asking Gowda to correct his statement, he said the Kerala state unit had made it clear they were against the party's alliance with the BJP.

In a sharp remark, Vijayan further said this was not the first time Deve Gowda had joined hands with the BJP. He said in 2005, when JD(S) partnered with BJP, "he left this ideology and associated with the BJP to get a ministerial post for his son."