Bengaluru: Deploring that ‘stories’ were being cooked up about Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and JD(S) supremo, H.D. Deve Gowda entering into an understanding on fielding candidates in north Karnataka, JD(S) state chief, H D Kumaraswamy asserted in Bengaluru on Wednesday, "We are not fools to join hands with the Congress and BJP, which have no concern for farmers or the poor."

Claiming that people were fed up with both the BJP and the Siddaramaiah government, he said they were now looking at the JD(S) to save the state from the two parties. "We need to cash in on the current situation as we could easily get the votes we need to form the government on our own," he added, maintaining that there was a pro-JD(S) wave particularly in north Karnataka and Hyderabad Karnataka.

"The 2018 election is a do or die battle for our party. We need to come back to power at any cost to provide a voice to farmers and those who have no one backing them," he said. Mr Kumaraswamy, who was speaking after inaugurating a booth level workshop for party workers here, accused both the Congress and BJP of making the state the most corrupt in India.

Also, alleging that misuse of power was rampant in all government departments, he alleged that Mr Siddaramaiah's son, Dr Yatindra, had been given a post only to enable him to attend KDP meetings in Mysuru. The JD(S) leader later explained that booth-level meetings were being held to involve local leaders.