"Nitish Kumar Tried To Persuade Me To Merge Parties": HD Deve Gowda

The JD(S) patriarch HD Deve Gowda came out strongly defending the party's alliance with the BJP and in the midst of statements of rebellion from sections of the party's state leadership over the alliance he claimed that the JD(S) will not break into factions or lose its secular credentials. He says while he was approached by Nitish Kumar to form a front, he refused to merge his party with other Janata factions. Indicating that the antagonism between Congress and Chief Minister Siddaramiah left the JDS no choice, he says neither he nor the Congress central leadership reached out to each other. NDTV's Prathibha Raman with this interview.